Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infections. Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to target specific molecules or pathways that are involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells.

There are several targeted therapy medicines used to treat multiple myeloma, including:

• Proteasome inhibitors: Proteasome inhibitors are drugs that block the action of proteasomes, which are enzymes that break down proteins in cells. Bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib are examples of proteasome inhibitors used to treat multiple myeloma.
• Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs): IMiDs are drugs that modify the immune system to attack cancer cells. Lenalidomide and pomalidomide are examples of IMiDs used to treat multiple myeloma.
• Monoclonal antibodies: Monoclonal antibodies are drugs that target specific proteins on the surface of cancer cells. Daratumumab, elotuzumab, and isatuximab are examples of monoclonal antibodies used to treat multiple myeloma.
• Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors: HDAC inhibitors are drugs that block the action of HDAC enzymes, which play a role in gene expression and cell growth. Panobinostat is an example of an HDAC inhibitor used to treat multiple myeloma.
• Checkpoint inhibitors: Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that block proteins on cancer cells that prevent the immune system from attacking them. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab are examples of checkpoint inhibitors used to treat multiple myeloma.

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. It works by either stimulating the immune system to attack cancer cells or by blocking the signals that cancer cells use to evade the immune system. There are several types of immunotherapy medicines used to treat multiple myeloma, including:

• Monoclonal antibodies: Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that can mimic the immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells. Daratumumab, elotuzumab, and isatuximab are examples of monoclonal antibodies used to treat multiple myeloma.
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that block proteins on cancer cells that prevent the immune system from attacking them. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab are examples of immune checkpoint inhibitors used to treat multiple myeloma.
• CAR T-cell therapy: CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that involves taking immune cells from a patient’s body, genetically modifying them in a laboratory to recognize and attack cancer cells, and then infusing them back into the patient’s body. The CAR T-cell therapy approved for use in multiple myeloma is called idecabtagene vicleucel.
• Vaccines: Cancer vaccines are drugs that can stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. Sipuleucel-T is a vaccine used to treat advanced prostate cancer, but it is also being studied in multiple myeloma.
• Interferons: Interferons are natural proteins that can stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells. Interferon alfa is an example of an interferon used to treat multiple myeloma.

This treatment involves removing healthy stem cells from the patient’s blood or bone marrow, followed by high-dose chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells. After the chemotherapy, the patient’s healthy stem cells are returned to their body to help rebuild healthy blood cells.