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TALVEY - Use of Prophylactic Tocilizumab

Last Updated: 07/18/2025

SUMMARY

  • Janssen does not recommend the use of TALVEY in a manner that is inconsistent with the approved labeling.
  • MonumenTAL-1 is an ongoing, open-label, phase 1/2 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of TALVEY in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) after ≥3 prior lines of therapy (LOTs), including a proteasome inhibitor (PI), an immunomodulatory drug, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The prophylactic tocilizumab cohort is an ongoing prospective, phase 2, exploratory cohort evaluating the administration of intravenous (IV) tocilizumab (8 mg/kg IV) prior to TALVEY to mitigate cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in 27 patients with RRMM.1,2 
    • Dytfeld et al (2025)1 presented the impact of prophylactic tocilizumab on CRS with TALVEY to enable safe and effective outpatient dosing of step-up doses (SUDs) and the first-full dose of TALVEY. At a median follow-up of 4.4 months, CRS occurred at a rate of 18.5% (5/27).

CLINICAL DATA - Monumental-1 study - prophylactic tocilizumab cohort

MonumenTAL-1 (MMY1001; NCT03399799, NCT04634552) is a phase 1/2 study of TALVEY in patients with RRMM.3,4

The prophylactic tocilizumab cohort is an ongoing prospective, phase 2, exploratory cohort of the MonumenTAL-1 study evaluating the administration of IV tocilizumab (8 mg/kg IV) prior to TALVEY dosing to mitigate CRS in patients with RRMM.1,2

Study Design/Methods

The main objectives are as follows: part 1 (dose escalation) to determine the RP2D for TALVEY; part 2 (dose expansion) to characterize safety at RP2D; and part 3 (phase 2 component) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TALVEY at RP2D.3,4 

  • Key eligibility criteria: documented RRMM per International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria; ≥3 prior lines of treatment, including a PI, an immunomodulatory drug, and an anti-CD38 mAb.1  
  • Prophylactic tocilizumab cohort dosing:
    • Tocilizumab: single-dose 8 mg/kg IV, along with required pretreatments (glucocorticoid, antihistamine, and antipyretic), approximately 3 hours before administering TALVEY SUD 1.1 
    • TALVEY: SUDs (0.01 mg/kg, 0.06 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg or 0.4 mg/kg subcutaneous [SC]) followed by first treatment dose and subsequent treatment doses of TALVEY (0.8 mg/kg) SC Q2W. The SUDs were administered 2-4 days apart and completed 2-4 days prior to the first full treatment dose of TALVEY.1
    • Posttreatments: 8 mg dexamethasone by mouth (PO)/IV administered daily for 2 days after each SUD and first full treatment dose of TALVEY.1
  • CRS was graded as per American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) criteria.1
  • Patients could be treated on an inpatient or outpatient basis.1

Dytfeld et al (2025)1 presented the impact of prophylactic tocilizumab on CRS with TALVEY administration in patients with RRMM from the MonumenTAL-1 study to enable safe and effective outpatient dosing of SUDs and the first full dose of TALVEY.

Study Design/Methods

MonumenTAL-1 Prophylactic Tocilizumab Cohort Study Design1

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Abbreviations: dex, dexamethasone; IV, intravenous; PO, oral; Q2W, every other week; SC, subcutaneous; SUD, step-up dose; tal, talquetamab; toci, tocilizumab.
aWith required pretreatments (glucocorticoid, antihistamine, and antipyretic).
bGiven daily for 2 days after each SUD and first full treatment dose. If posttreatment dex was scheduled on a day when premedication with dex was required, only the premedication dose was given.

Results

Patient Characteristics


MonumenTAL-1 Study (Prophylactic Tocilizumab Cohort): Baseline Characteristics1
Parameter
Prophylactic Tocilizumab
(N=27)

Median age, years (range)
69.0 (51.0-79.0)
Male, n (%)
16 (59.3)
ECOG PS, n (%)
   0
8 (29.6)
   1
18 (66.7)
   2
1 (3.7)
Extramedullary plasmacytomas, n (%)
   0
22 (81.5)
   ≥1
5 (18.5)
High-risk cytogeneticsa, n (%)
7 (31.8)
ISS stageb, n (%)
   I
15 (60.0)
   II
7 (28.0)
   III
3 (12.0)
Prior LOT, median (range)
4.0 (3.0-11.0)
Refractory status, n (%)
   Triple-classc
19 (70.4)
   Penta-drugd
6 (22.2)
   To last LOT
24 (88.9)
Abbreviations: ECOG PS, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; ISS, International Staging System; LOT, line of therapy; mAb, monoclonal antibody; PI, proteasome inhibitor.
aDefined as del(17p), t(4;14), and/or t(14;16); calculated from n=22.
bISS staging is derived based on serum β2-microglobulin and albumin; calculated from n=25; n=2 patients had missing assessments.
c≥1 PI, ≥1 immunomodulatory drug, and ≥1 anti-CD38 mAb.
d≥2 PIs, ≥2 immunomodulatory drugs, and ≥1 anti-CD38 mAb.

Safety


MonumenTAL-1 Study (Prophylactic Tocilizumab Cohort): CRS Events1
Parameter
Prophylactic Tocilizumab
(N=27)
CRSa, n (%)
   Grade 1
5 (18.5)
   Grade 2
0 (0)
   Grade 3
0 (0)
Onset of CRSb, days, median (range)
2.5 (2.0-12.0)
Duration of CRS, days, median (range)
1.0 (1.0-6.0)
Supportive measures for CRSc, n (%)
4 (14.8)
   Tocilizumab
3 (11.1)
   Oxygen
0 (0)
   Corticosteroids
0 (0)
   Paracetamol
3 (11.1)
   Other
1 (3.7)
CRS recovered or resolvedd, n (%)
6 (100.0)
Abbreviations: ASTCT, American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy; CRS, cytokine release syndrome.
aCRS was graded by ASTCT criteria.
bRelative to the most recent dose.
cPatients could receive ≥1 supportive therapy.
dPatients could have ≥1 event.


MonumenTAL-1 Study (Prophylactic Tocilizumab Cohort): CRS Events in Inpatient and Outpatient Settings1
Parameter
Inpatient
(n=10)

Outpatient
(n=17)

CRSa, n (%)
3 (30.0)
2 (11.8)b
   Grade 1
3 (30.0)
2 (11.8)b
   Grade 2
0 (0)
0 (0)
   Grade 3
0 (0)
0 (0)
Onset of CRSc, days, median (range)
2.0 (2.0-12.0)
5.5 (3.0-8.0)
Duration of CRS, days, median (range)
1.0 (1.0-6.0)
2.0 (1.0-3.0)
During SUD periodd, n (%)
3 (30.0)
0 (0)
During 1st full cycled, n (%)
0 (0)
2 (11.8)
During 2nd full cycle or afterd, n %)
1 (10.0)
0 (0)
CRS recovered or resolvedd, n (%)
4 (100.0)
2 (100.0)
Abbreviations: ASTCT, American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy; CRS, cytokine release syndrome; SUD, step-up dose.
aCRS was graded by ASTCT criteria.
bOne patient treated on an outpatient basis had CRS while hospitalized for bone pain.
cRelative to the most recent dose.
dPatients could have ≥1 event.


MonumenTAL-1 Study (Prophylactic Tocilizumab Cohort): Hematologic and Nonhematologic AEs1
Most Common AEs (≥20% of Total Population) and AEs of Interesta, n (%)
Prophylactic Tocilizumab
(N=27)

Any Grade
Grade 3/4
Hematologic AEs
   Neutropenia
9 (33.3)
6 (22.2)
   Anemia
7 (25.9)
3 (11.1)
   Lymphopenia
6 (22.2)
5 (18.5)
Nonhematologic AEs
   Taste changesb
18 (66.7)
NA
   Skin AEsc
13 (48.1)
0 (0)
   Dry mouth
12 (44.4)
0 (0)
   Weight decrease
8 (29.6)
0 (0)
   Nail AEsd
7 (25.9)
0 (0)
   Cough
6 (22.2)
0 (0)
   Fatigue
6 (22.2)
0 (0)
Other AEs of interest
   Infectionse
15 (55.6)
5 (18.5)
   ICANS
2 (7.4)
0 (0)
Abbreviations: AE, adverse event; ASTCT, American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy; CTCAE, Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events; ICANS, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome; NA, not available.
aICANS was graded by ASTCT criteria; other AEs were graded by CTCAE v4.03.
bIncludes dysgeusia, ageusia, hypogeusia, and taste disorder; maximum grade for taste changes is 2 per CTCAE.
cIncludes skin exfoliation, dry skin, pruritus, and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome.
dIncludes nail discoloration, nail disorder, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychoclasis, nail dystrophy, nail toxicity, and nail ridging.
eInfections described on a System Organ Class basis, and thus not grouped with Preferred Term data in terms of incidence.

Efficacy


MonumenTAL-1 Study (Prophylactic Tocilizumab Cohort): Efficacy Outcomes1
Response, %
Prophylactic Tocilizumab
(N=11)

ORRa
81.8 (9)
   sCR
54.5
   CR
9.1
   VGPR
18.2
   PR
-
≥CR
63.6
≥VGPR
81.8
Abbreviations: CR, complete response; IMWG, International Myeloma Working Group; ORR, overall response rate; PR, partial response; sCR, stringent complete response; VGPR, very good partial response.
aResults presented based on the latest available data assessed by independent committee review per IMWG criteria.

literature search

A literature search of MEDLINE®, Embase®, BIOSIS Previews®, and Derwent Drug File databases (and/or other resources, including internal/external databases) was conducted on 15 July 2025.

 

References

1 Dytfeld D, Vij R, Jagannath S, et al. Prophylactic tocilizumab to mitigate cytokine release syndrome and outpatient dosing of talquetamab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: updated phase 1/2 MonumenTAL-1 results. Poster presented at: The European Hematology Association (EHA) Hybrid Congress; June 12-15, 2025; Milan, Italy.  
2 Chari A, Touzeau C, Schinke C, et al. Safety and activity of talquetamab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MonumenTAL-1): a multicentre, open-label, phase 1-2 study. Lancet Haematol. 2025;12(4):e269-e281.  
3 Janssen Research & Development, LLC. A phase 1, first-in-human, open-label, dose escalation study of talquetamab, a humanized GPRC5D x CD3 bispecific antibody, in subjects with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000- [cited 2025 July 15]. Available from: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03399799 NLM Identifier: NCT03399799.  
4 Janssen Research & Development, LLC. A phase 1/2, first-in-human, open-label, dose escalation study of talquetamab, a humanized GPRC5D x CD3 bispecific antibody, in subjects with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000- [cited 2025 July 15]. Available from: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04634552 NLM Identifier: NCT04634552.  
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