All content on this site is intended for healthcare professionals only. By acknowledging this message and accessing the information on this website you are confirming that you are a Healthcare Professional. If you are a patient or carer, please visit the International Myeloma Foundation or HealthTree for Multiple Myeloma.
Introducing
Now you can personalise
your Multiple Myeloma Hub experience!
Bookmark content to read later
Select your specific areas of interest
View content recommended for you
Find out moreThe Multiple Myeloma Hub website uses a third-party service provided by Google that dynamically translates web content. Translations are machine generated, so may not be an exact or complete translation, and the Multiple Myeloma Hub cannot guarantee the accuracy of translated content. The Multiple Myeloma Hub and its employees will not be liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages (even if foreseeable) resulting from use of the Google Translate feature. For further support with Google Translate, visit Google Translate Help.
The Multiple Myeloma Hub is an independent medical education platform, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi. The levels of sponsorship listed are reflective of the amount of funding given. View funders.
Bookmark this article
On April 7, 2025, the European Commission approved subcutaneous daratumumab (D) in combination with bortezomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (VRd) for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma regardless of transplant eligibility.1
This approval was based on data from the phase III PERSEUS trial.1 The Multiple Myeloma Hub has previously reported on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, as well as the primary safety and efficacy data from the PERSEUS trial (NCT03710603).
PERSEUS pivotal data1
In total, 395 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were ineligible for transplant or for whom allogeneic stem cell transplantation was not planned as initial therapy were randomized 1:1 to receive D-VRd (n = 197) or VRd (n = 198).
At a median follow-up of 59 months:
The D-VRd regimen achieved a significantly higher minimal residual disease-negativity rate (sensitivity of 10−5) vs VRd (60.9% vs 39.4%; p < 0.0001).
The proportion of patients achieving sustained minimal residual disease-negativity for ≥12 months was almost double with D-VRd vs VRd (48.7% vs 26.3%; p < 0.0001).
The D-VRd regimen resulted in a higher complete response rate vs VRd (81.2% vs 61.6%; p < 0.0001).
D-VRd significantly reduced the risk of progression or death by 43% compared to VRd (p < 0.0005), with the median progression-free survival not reached for D-VRd vs 52.6 months for VRd.
The safety profile of D-VRd was consistent with known profiles, with the most common (>10%) Grade 3/4 hematologic and non-hematologic adverse events being neutropenia (44.2% vs 29.7%), thrombocytopenia (28.4% vs 20.0%), anemia (13.2% vs 11.8%), peripheral neuropathies (8.1% vs 8.2%), diarrhea (12.2% vs 9.2%), and COVID-19 (11.2% vs 4.6%) for D-VRd vs VRd, respectively.
Your opinion matters
Subscribe to get the best content related to multiple myeloma delivered to your inbox