Abecma

A drug used to treat adults with multiple myeloma that relapsed (came back) or did not get better after treatment with at least four other anticancer therapies, including an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, a proteasome inhibitor, and an immunomodulating agent. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Abecma is made using a patient’s T cells (a type of immune system cell). A gene for a special receptor called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is added to the T cells in the laboratory. These changed T cells called CAR T cells are grown in large numbers in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion. Abecma binds to a protein called BCMA, which is found on myeloma cells and some types of immune cells. This helps the body’s immune system kill cancer cells. Abecma is a type of CAR T-cell therapy. Also called idecabtagene vicleucel.

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