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TECVAYLI - Step-up Dosing Schedule - Real-world Evidence

Last Updated: 09/16/2025

SUMMARY

  • Summarized below are real-world, observational and retrospective studies and registries which evaluated the step-up dosing (SUD) schedule of TECVAYLI, specific to timeframe between doses or length of stay (LOS), in adult patients with multiple myeloma (MM).1-3 
  • Additional data in smaller sample sizes have been identified and are included below for your reference.4-7 

Real-world data

Tan et al (2025)1,8 reported a retrospective, observational study that evaluated patient characteristics, LOS during the SUD and the real-world incidence and management of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in patients with MM who had initiated TECVAYLI.

Study Design/Methods

  • Patients with ≥1 hospital encounter involving TECVAYLI administration were identified using the Premier Healthcare Database (which represents approximately 1 in 5 inpatient hospital stays in the US), an all-payer US hospital administrative database.
  • Eligible patients included adults (≥18 years of age) with MM who had hospital encounters (including inpatient admissions and outpatient encounters) and received ≥1 TECVAYLI administration between November 1, 2022, and September 21, 2023, and were not part of a clinical trial.
  • The date of the earliest hospital encounter for the first TECVAYLI 30 mg/3 mL vial was defined as an index date.
  • Patients were classified as having a complete SUD schedule if they received the 2 step-up doses (0.06 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg) followed by the first full treatment dose of 1.5 mg/kg.
  • The accuracy and completeness of SUD schedules were assessed using an algorithm that evaluated the TECVAYLI vials administered and time of administration.
    • The algorithm required an initial vial size of 30 mg/3 mL for the initial SUD, followed by a 153 mg/1.7 mL vial as the final dose in the SUD period.
  • CRS-related outcomes during the SUD period were analyzed only in patients who completed the SUD period.
    • CRS was identified via International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes and an algorithm based on related symptoms and treatment codes.

Results

Patient Demographics and Baseline Characteristics


Baseline Characteristics of Real-World Patients Treated With TECVAYLI1
Characteristic

All Patients
(N=413)

Patients With Complete SUD
(n=302)

Age
   Age, years, mean (SD)
67.4 (10.3)
67.6 (10.5)
   Age, years, median (range)
69 (32-89)
70 (32-89)
Sex, n (%)
   Male
233 (56.4)
162 (53.6)
   Female
180 (43.6)
140 (46.4)
Race, n (%)
   White
262 (63.4)
183 (60.6)
   Black or African American
100 (24.2)
74 (24.5)
   Asian
15 (3.6)
12 (4.0)
   Other
33 (8.0)
30 (9.9)
   Unknown
3 (<1)
3 (1.0)
Ethnicity, n (%)
   Hispanic
41 (9.9)
34 (11.3)
   Non-Hispanic
355 (86.0)
258 (85.4)
   Unknown
17 (4.1)
10 (3.3)
QCCI score, mean (SD)
1.3 (1.7)
1.4 (1.8)
QCCI categories, n (%)
   0
191 (46.2)
123 (40.7)
   1
74 (17.9)
62 (20.5)
   2
73 (17.7)
56 (18.5)
   ≥3
75 (18.2)
61 (20.2)
Severity of illnessa
   Extreme
60 (14.5)
46 (15.2)
   Major
193 (46.7)
168 (55.6)
   Moderate
83 (20.1)
71 (23.5)
   Minor
4 (1.0)
2 (<1)
   Unknown
73 (17.7)
15 (5.0)
Risk of mortalitya
   Extreme
22 (5.3)
11 (3.6)
   Major
111 (26.9)
102 (33.8)
   Moderate
206 (49.9)
173 (57.3)
   Minor
1 (<1)
1 (<1)
   Unknown
73 (17.7)
15 (5.0)
Select documented conditions at index hospital encounter, n (%)
   Hypertension
244 (59.1)
199 (65.9)
   Anemia
198 (47.9)
161 (53.3)
   Peripheral neuropathy
165 (40.0)
131 (43.4)
   Renal impairment/failure
148 (35.8)
119 (39.4)
   Osteoporosis
142 (34.4)
117 (38.7)
   Headaches/migraines
95 (23.0)
82 (27.2)
   Congestive heart failure
69 (16.7)
58 (19.2)
   Chronic pulmonary disease
44 (10.6)
41 (13.6)
   Neutropenia
40 (9.7)
29 (9.6)
   Hypogammaglobulinemia
40 (9.7)
28 (9.3)
   Hypercalcemia
37 (9.0)
31 (10.3)
Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; SUD, step-up dosing; QCCI, Quan-Charlson comorbidity index.
a Severity of illness and risk of mortality was evaluated based on the All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Group classification system.

Step-up Dosing

  • TECVAYLI was administered to 96.4% of patients in an urban hospital.
  • Out of 302 patients who completed the SUD period by the data cutoff, 276 (91.4%) received the full course of SUD during a single inpatient admission, 14 (4.6%) in outpatient settings, and 3 (<1%) were treated across both inpatient and outpatient settings. See Table: Real-World SUD Pattern Among Patients Who Completed SUD for additional details.
  • Out of 276 patients who completed TECVAYLI SUD during a single inpatient admission, 243 (88.0%) were administered TECVAYLI on the first day of hospitalization, while 44 (15.9%) received it on or after the second day of hospitalization.

Real-World SUD Pattern Among Patients Who Completed SUD1 
SUD Patterns
n=302
SUD completion pattern, n (%)
302 (100.0)
   1 inpatient admission
276 (91.4)
   Multiple inpatient admissions
9 (3.0)
   Inpatient and outpatient admissions
3 (<1.0)
   Multiple outpatient admissions
14 (4.6)
Patients starting TECVAYLI on day 1 of admission, n (%)
243 (80.5)
   Length of stay, mean (SD), days
8.3 (3.4)
   Length of stay, median (Q1-Q3), days
8 (6-9)
Patients starting TECVAYLI on day ≥2 of admission, n (%)
44 (14.6)
   Length of stay, mean (SD), days
20.6 (11.2)
   Length of stay, median (Q1-Q3), days
17 (12-28)
Length of stay of all patients with a complete SUD period
   Mean (SD), days
10.0 (6.8)
   Median (Q1-Q3), days
8 (7-10)
Length of stay (excluding the 95th percentile outliers)
   Mean (SD), days
8.7 (3.3)
   Median (Q1-Q3), days
8 (6-9)
SUD schedule pattern, n (%)
   3-day interval
94 (31.1)
   2-day interval
109 (36.1)
   Other
99 (32.8)
Abbreviations: Q, quartile; SUD, step-up dosing.

CRS Incidence and Severity


CRS Incidence and Severity Among Patients Who Completed TECVAYLI SUD1
Event
n=302
Incidence and severity
Patients with ≥1 CRS events by ICD-10-CM code, n (%)
96 (31.8)
   Grade 1
73 (24.2)
   Grade 2
14 (4.6)
   Grade 3
3 (1.0)
   Grade 4 or 5
0
   Grade unknown or unspecified
6 (2.0)
Patients with ≥1 CRS events per Keating algorithm, n (%)
   Fever
46 (15.2)
   Hypotension
31 (10.3)
   Fatigue
11 (3.6)
   Hypoxia
7 (2.3)
   Headaches
6 (2.0)
Patients with CRS events per Keating classifications, n (%)
   Any-grade CRS (loose definition)
86 (28.5)
   Mild CRS
80 (26.5)
   Severe CRS
6 (2.0)
   None
216 (71.5)
Abbreviations: CRS, cytokine release syndrome; ICD-10-CM, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification; SUD, step-up dosing.

Adverse Event Management


Adverse Event Management Among Patients Who Completed TECVAYLI SUD1,8 
n=302
Medications identified at any time during the SUD, n (%)
Corticosteroids
   Dexamethasone
293 (97.0)
   Hydrocortisone
7 (2.3)
   Methylprednisolone
6 (2.0)
   Prednisone
1 (<1)
Acetaminophen
283 (93.7)
Diphenhydramine
237 (78.5)
Levetiracetam
28 (9.3)
Immunoglobulin
27 (8.9)
Tocilizumab
90 (29.8)
   Tocilizumab use for CRS
58 (64.4)
      Grade 1
44 (48.9)a
      Grade 2
10 (11.1)a
      Grade 3
0 (0)a
      Grade 4
0 (0)a
      Grade 5
0 (0)a
      Grade unknown or unspecified
4 (4.4)a
Hypoxia-related management, n (%)
   Positive pressureb
21 (7.0)
   Supplemental oxygen
16 (5.3)
   BiPap or CPAP
9 (3.0)
   Other or unspecified
16 (5.3)
   Invasive mechanical ventilation
5 (1.7)
   Other or unspecified
1 (<1)
   Intubation
5 (1.7)
   Mask
0
   Nasal cannula
0
   Swan-Ganz catheter
0
Imaging, n (%)
   Chest X-ray
45 (14.9)
   Chest or abdominal CT scan
8 (2.7)
   Brain MRI
3 (1.0)
   Lumbar puncture
1 (<1)
Abbreviations: BiPap, bilevel positive airway pressure; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; CRS, cytokine release syndrome; CT, computed tomography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; SUD, step-up dosing.
aOf the 90 cases of tocilizumab use.
bIncludes CPAP, biPap, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and supplemental oxygen.

Banerjee et al (2023)2 presented a retrospective, observational analysis that evaluated patient profiles and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) during the SUD period and the incidence of real-world CRS in patients with MM who had received TECVAYLI.

Study Design/Methods

  • The study utilized data from the ARMMRD registry, sourced from STATinMED RWD insights, encompassing all-payer claims data that spanned approximately 87% of the nationally insured population in the US, spanning from January 1, 2014, to July 31, 2023.
  • Adult patients (≥18 years of age) with MM who had ≥1 commercial TECVAYLI claim within the ARMMRD registry during the identification period (October 26, 2022, to July 31, 2023) were included in this study.
  • The index date was determined as the earliest outpatient claim for a TECVAYLI 30 mg/3 mL vial or the admission date of the earliest hospitalization claim containing TECVAYLI.
  • Patients who had received TECVAYLI on or before the approval date were excluded from the analysis.
  • A claim-based algorithm was employed to identify patients with a complete SUD period based on the following criteria:
    • Patients who have had ≥1 inpatient admission or ≥1 outpatient claim for a TECVAYLI 30 mg/3 mL vial; the earliest admission date (if inpatient) or claim date (if outpatient) was defined as the start date of the SUD period.
    • All inpatient or outpatient claims for TECVAYLI with a <5-day gap between claims within a 21-day continuous enrollment period were rolled up as part of the SUD period. If the index claim was an outpatient claim, an additional outpatient claim for a TECVAYLI 153 mg/1.7 mL vial was required.
    • The end date of the SUD period was the discharge date, if the last encounter was an inpatient admission, or claim date +4 days, if the last encounter was an outpatient claim for a 153 mg/1.7 mL vial.

Results

  • In total, 182 patients with a claim for TECVAYLI were included in the study.
  • The mean (SD) Quan-Charlson Comorbidity Index (Quan-CCI) score was 4.0 (3.6) for the overall population, and the cohort indexed in March 2023 had the highest Quan-CCI score of 5.6 (3.8).
  • Of the 92 patients who met the criteria for evaluable treatment history, 15 (16.3%) had prior exposure to a commercial B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) therapy.

HCRU During SUD

  • Of the 131 patients who had a complete SUD period by the data cutoff, 112 (85.5%) completed TECVAYLI SUD in 1 inpatient admission.
    • Of the 19 (14.5%) patients with >1 encounter with SUD, 2 (10.5%) were all inpatient admissions, 5 (26.3%) were all outpatient administrations, and 12 (63.2%) were in hybrid inpatient/outpatient settings.
  • The median (interquartile range) LOS was 8.0 (4.0) days (mean [SD], 8.5 [3.0] days) after omitting extreme outliers (N=115) among 126 (96.2%) patients with ≥1 TECVAYLI-related hospitalization during SUD.
  • Over time, the mean (SD) LOS in patients who had ≥1 TECVAYLI-related hospitalization during SUD decreased from 11.4 (9.0) days for patients indexed through February 2023 to 7.0 (1.4) days for those indexed in July 2023 (outliers included). See Table: Mean LOS Among Patients With ≥1 TECVAYLI-Related Admission During SUD (n=126).

Mean LOS Among Patients With ≥1 TECVAYLI-Related Admission During SUD (n=126)2
Mean (SD), Days
Mean LOS
Index through February 2023
11.4 (9.0)
Index in March 2023
10.7 (7.5)
Index in April 2023
9.0 (3.1)
Index in May 2023
9.8 (4.0)
Index in June 2023
8.4 (3.0)
Index in July 2023
7.0 (1.4)
Abbreviations: LOS, length of stay; SD, standard deviation; SUD, step-up dosing.

Safety - CRS Events


Real-World CRS Events Among Patients Who Completed TECVAYLI SUD2
Overall
N=131

n
%
rwCRS events
   Patients with ≥1 rwCRS event per ICD-10 code
54
41.2
   Patients with grade 1 eventsa
39
29.8
   Patients with grade 2 eventsa
9
6.9
   Patients with grade 3 eventsa
2
1.5
   Patients with grade 4 eventsa
0
0.0
   Patients with grade 5 eventsa
0
0.0
   Patients with CRS grade unknown or unspecified
4
3.1
Keating algorithm: patients with ≥1 rwCRS event per Keating algorithm
Keating classifications
   Patients with any-grade CRS (loose definition)
32
24.4
   Patients with mild CRS
24
18.3
   Patients with severe CRS
8
6.1
   Patients with no CRS
99
75.6
Patients with specific rwCRS symptoms per Keating algorithm
   Fever
21
16.0
   Hypotension
3
2.3
   Fatigue
7
5.3
   Headaches
1
0.8
   Hypoxia
1
0.8
Abbreviations: CRS, cytokine release syndrome; ICD-10, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision; rwCRS, real-world cytokine release syndrome; SUD, step-up dosing.
aIf there was >1 grade of rwCRS, the event with the highest grade was counted.

  • During the complete SUD period, 7 (5.3%) patients had tocilizumab-related claims, 14 (10.7%) had dexamethasone-related claims, 8 (6.1%) had antihistamine-related claims, and 4 (3.1%) had acetaminophen-related claims.

Banerjee et al (2023)3 presented a real-world, retrospective analysis of Acentrus MM electronic medical records (EMRs) that evaluated the dosing patterns, HCRU, and the early safety outcomes during TECVAYLI SUD among US patients receiving TECVAYLI.

Study Design/Methods

  • Adult patients (≥18 years old) with MM who had received ≥1 dose of TECVAYLI between October 26, 2022, and May 31, 2023, were included.
  • Patients with diagnosis codes for clinical trials on the index date or those who had indicators of receiving TECVAYLI in a clinical trial setting were excluded.
  • Patients were indexed on the day of the first TECVAYLI dose.
  • Patient characteristics were captured during the 6-month baseline period before the index date.
  • Dosing patterns, healthcare settings (inpatient or outpatient), LOS at the hospital, and rate, severity, and treatment for CRS and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) were described among patients with complete SUD data.
  • Patients were considered to have complete SUD data if they had received the 2 SUDs (30 mg/3 mL vial size) and the first treatment dose (153 mg/1.7 mL vial size), with strength confirmed in the database, and had at least 7 days of data or the next dose observed after the first treatment dose (to allow sufficient time for capturing treatment outcomes of the first dose) by the data cutoff.

Results

  • A total of 104 patients (median age, 65 years [range, 43-89]; male, 58%) were included in the study.
  • Prevalent baseline comorbidities included anemia (67%), hypertension (57%), renal impairment/failure (54%), lytic bone lesions (35%), hypogammaglobulinemia (25%), and extramedullary plasmacytomas (12%).
  • Twenty five percent of patients were previously treated with BCMA-targeted therapies.

SUD Patterns

  • In the cohort of 104 patients, data pertaining to SUD were available for 76 patients. Within this subset, 65 patients (86%) completed the SUD in an all-inpatient setting. Additionally, 64/65 (98%) patients received all 3 doses in a single admission. Alternatively, 10 patients (13%) received all 3 doses in an outpatient setting. One patient received SUD in inpatient as well as outpatient settings.
  • A total of 42% of patients had an exact 2-day dosing interval (eg, days 1-3-5), and 16% of patients had an exact 3-day dosing interval (eg, days 1-4-7); 75% of patients received the third dose within 7 days of TECVAYLI initiation.
  • Among the 36 patients with detailed inpatient data, the median LOS for inpatient SUD was 8.0 days, excluding 1 extreme outlier. Median LOS generally trended downward over time, from 11 days in December 2022 to 6.5 days in May 2023. See Table: Hospital LOS for TECVAYLI SUD by Index Month.

Hospital LOS for TECVAYLI SUD by Index Month3
Index Month
Median LOS, Days
December 2022
11
January 2023
7.5
February 2023
6
March 2023
9
April 2023
6
May 2023
6.5
Abbreviations: LOS, length of stay; SUD, step-up dosing.

Safety

  • Data pertaining to CRS and ICANS in patients with complete SUD (n=76) have been summarized in Table: CRS and ICANS Outcomes in Patients With Complete SUD.
  • A total of 99% of patients received acetaminophen, 96% received diphenhydramine, and 71% received corticosteroids on the days of TECVAYLI administration.
    • No patients received prophylactic treatments within 2 days prior to the administration of the first TECVAYLI dose.
  • A total of 3% of patients received tocilizumab on the same day as their first dose (unclear whether tocilizumab was given for prophylaxis or treatment), and 12% received tocilizumab after TECVAYLI dosing.

CRS and ICANS Outcomes in Patients With Complete SUD3
Events Captured During SUD, n (%)
N=76
CRS
   Number of patients by ICD-10 codes
14 (18.4)
      Grade 1
8 (10.5)
      Grade 2
3 (3.9)
      Grade 3
1 (1.3)
      Grade ≥4
0 (0)
      Unspecified grade
2 (2.6)
   Number of patients by symptom-based Keating algorithm
22 (28.9)
      Mild
20 (26.3)
      Severe
2 (2.6)
ICANS
   Number of patients by ICD-10 codes
3 (3.9)
      Grade 1
2 (2.6)
      Grade 2
1 (1.3)
      Grade ≥3
0
Abbreviations: CRS, cytokine release syndrome; ICANS, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome; ICD-10, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision; SUD, step-up dosing.

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 08 September 2025.

 

References

1 Tan C, Chinaeke E, Kim N, et al. Real-world patient profile and step-up dosing process of early initiators of teclistamab for multiple myeloma in US hospitals: an analysis using the premier healthcare database. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2025;31(8):772-781.  
2 Banerjee R, Kim N, Kohli M, et al. Evolving real-world characteristics and step-up dosing among early initiators of teclistamab for multiple myeloma- a national all-payer claims database study. Poster presented at: 65th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition; December 9-12, 2023; San Diego, CA.  
3 Banerjee R, Chang HY, Lin D, et al. Real-world patterns of step-up dosing period and early safety outcomes in US patients treated with teclistamab for multiple myeloma. Poster presented at: 27th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies (ICHM); October 18-21, 2023; New York, USA.  
4 Kawasaki Y, Steele AP, Rosenberg A, et al. Safety outcomes of teclistamab accelerated dose escalation. J Oncol Pharm Pr. 2024:10781552241268429.  
5 Graf KC, Davis JA, Cendagorta A, et al. “Fast but not so furious”: A condensed step‐up dosing schedule of teclistamab for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. eJHaem. 2024;5(4):793-797.  
6 Beer T, Graf G, Lin D, et al. Dosing patterns and early safety and effectiveness outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma treated with teclistamab in the community setting. Poster presented at: The American Society of Hematology (ASH); December 7-10, 2024; San Diego, California.  
7 Varma G, Fogel L, Gordon B, et al. Real-world safety and efficacy of teclistamab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: results from a multicenter, retrospective study and descriptive meta-analysis. Leuk Lymphoma. 2025;1-10; In press.  
8 Tan C, Chinaeke E, Kim N, et al. Supplement to: Real-world patient profile and step-up dosing process of early initiators of teclistamab for multiple myeloma in US hospitals: an analysis using the premier healthcare database. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2025;31(8):772-781.