Patients with haematological malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, have a higher risk of serious COVID-19 disease and have a reduced antibody response after vaccination with SARS-CoV-2. Relevant research of the Therapeutic Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens led by Professor Evangelos Terpos and Professor Thanos Dimopoulos (Rector of EKPA) has shown the reduced production of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COV-19 multiple myeloma compared to healthy (Blood 2021, 137, 3674-3676 and Blood Cancer Journal 2021, 11, 138).
The new study of the Therapeutic Clinic of EKPA on the effectiveness of the third booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine in patients with symptomatic multiple sclerosis was recently accepted for publication in the prestigious scientific journal Blood (official journal of the American Hematological Society).
The study was attended by Professor Evangelos Terpos, Associate Professor Maria Gavriatopoulou, Dr. Ioannis Danasis-Stathopoulos, Assistant Professor Alexandros Briasoulis, Dr. Panagiotis Malandrakis and Dr. Magdalos Kathigis Rector Thanos Dimopoulos from the Therapeutic Clinic of the Medical School of EKPA, as well as Professor Ioannis Trougakos, Biologist Sentiliana Goumeni and Biologist Eleni-Dimitra Papanagnou from the Department of Biology of EKPA.
This study evaluated the development of neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 one month after the third dose of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in patients with multiple myeloma. The measurement was performed using a methodology approved by the US FDA.
According to this method, values ​​below 30% indicate the absence of neutralizing antibodies capable of fighting the virus, while values ​​above 50% indicate significant protection against the virus (measurements concern the original strain of the coronavirus, ie that of Wuhan) .
A total of 167 patients with a median age of 68 years were included, while 58% were men. 93% of patients received anti-myeloma treatment at the time of vaccination. The 3rd dose of the vaccine significantly increased the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2. The median titer of neutralizing antibodies reached 96.7% one month after the third dose compared to 27.1% before the third dose.
It is worth noting that 75 of the 114 (66%) patients, who had a neutralizing antibody titer below 50% before the 3rd dose, acquired a titer of 50% or more after the 3rd dose.
In addition, 32 of the 57 (56%) patients who had not developed neutralizing antibodies after the first two doses of the vaccine acquired an antibody titer of more than 30% after the third dose.
Multi-factor analysis showed that treatment with BCMA-targeting anti-myeloma agents was associated with a reduced antibody response after the 3rd dose of BNT162b2. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the importance of administering a booster dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to patients with multiple myeloma.
This is true even for patients with an unsatisfactory antibody response after the first 2 vaccinations, as the 3rd dose promotes the antibody response in more than half of them.
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