Arcellx And Legend Bio Trade Jabs In Multiple Myeloma. But Only One Pulls Ahead.

In the competitive landscape of multiple myeloma treatments, Arcellx and Legend Biotech are locked in a heated battle, with each company's CAR-T therapy vying for dominance. Arcellx's anito-cel and Legend's Carvykti have shown promising results, but only one seems to be pulling ahead in terms of safety and efficacy.

Arcellx, in collaboration with Gilead Sciences, has been making waves with its BCMA-targeting CAR-T therapy, anito-cel. The therapy has demonstrated a 95% overall response rate (ORR) and a 62% complete response rate in late-stage multiple myeloma patients, comparable to Carvykti's 98% ORR and 80% CR rate. However, anito-cel's smaller binding domain may offer better manufacturability and safety, with zero delayed neurotoxicities reported.



On the other hand, Legend Biotech's Carvykti has shown around 7% of patients experiencing grade 3 or higher neurotoxicity, with 2% experiencing grade 3 or greater parkinsonism. In real-world use, only one out of roughly 200 Carvykti patients experienced Parkinsonism, suggesting improved management of neurotoxicity.

Despite the promising results, Arcellx's anito-cel has faced some setbacks. Three deaths occurred in the iMMagine-1 trial due to side effects, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in a 76-year-old patient. However, analysts remain optimistic about the therapy's potential, with some even suggesting it has a best-in-class profile.

As the race for the best CAR-T therapy in multiple myeloma continues, investors and patients alike eagerly await the final results. The competition between Arcellx and Legend Biotech is not only about market share but also about improving the lives of patients with this devastating disease. Only time will tell which therapy ultimately pulls ahead in this critical battle.