The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has on JUly 30, 2024, authorized a novel medicine combination to treat multiple myeloma, a kind of blood cancer. The FDA has approved Daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (Darzalex Faspro), bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone as therapeutic options. Patients recently diagnosed and eligible for an autologous stem cell transplant are the target audience for this combination.

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The approval was based on the results of the PERSEUS trial, which included 709 individuals under the age of 70. The trial divided the patients into two groups, with one group receiving the new medicine combination (Darzalex Faspro-VRd), while the other group receiving regular treatment without daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (VRd).

The trial found that participants receiving the novel combination had a 60% lower risk of illness progression or death than those receiving the traditional medication. This suggests that the novel combination can help patients live longer lives while preventing the disease from worsening. 

The new treatment's most common side effects are nerve damage, fatigue, edema, fever, upper respiratory infections, constipation, diarrhea, muscle discomfort, sleeplessness, and rash. 

This new approval brings hope to patients with multiple myeloma, potentially enhancing their quality of life and treatment outcomes. Healthcare providers should report any major side effects to the FDA's MedWatch Reporting System.