Remarkable advances have been achieved in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) in the last decade, which saw targeted immunotherapy, represented by anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, successfully incorporated across indications. However, myeloma is still considered curable in only a small subset of patients, and the majority of them eventually relapse. B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is expressed exclusively in mature B lymphocytes and plasma cells, and represents an ideal new target for immunotherapy, presented by bispecific antibody (bsAb) constructs, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells. Each of them has proved its efficacy with the potential for deep and long-lasting responses as a single agent therapy in heavily pretreated patients. As a result, belantamab mafodotin was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of relapsed/refractory MM, as the first anti-BCMA agent. In the present review, we focus on monoclonal antibodies targeting BCMA -bsAbs and ADCs. The data from preclinical studies as well as first-inhuman clinical trials will be reviewed, together with the coverage of their constructs and mechanisms of action. The present results have laid the groundwork for the ongoing or upcoming clinical trials with combinatory regimens, which have always been a cornerstone in the treatment of MM.

COVID-19 significantly impairs survival rates among hematological patients when compared to the general population. Our prospective multicentre project analyzed early administration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (NmAbs) -bamlanivimab (72%) and casirivimab/imdevimab (28%) -efficacy among hematological patients with early-stage COVID-19. Mortality rate was compared to a control cohort of 575 SARS-CoV-2 positive hematological patients untreated with any specific anti-COVID-19 therapy. 88 hematological patients with lymphomas, acute leukemias, and myeloma as their most frequent underlying diagnoses (72%) were evaluated with a 97 days median follow-up after NmAb administration. One third of patients (32%) were treated with an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody before COVID-19 diagnosis. Median time between first COVID-19 symptom and NmAb administration was 2 days. When administering NmAb, 29%, 57%, 11%, 2%, and 1% of our patients had asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical degrees of COVID-19, respectively.

Natural killer (NK) cells are part of a phylogenetically old defense system, which is characterized by its strong cytolytic function against physiologically stressed cells such as tumor cells and virus‐infected cells. Their use in the treatment of hematological malignancies may be more advantageous in several ways when compared with the already established T lymphocyte‐based immunotherapy. Given the different mechanisms of action, allogeneic NK cell products can be produced in a non‐personal based manner without the risk of the formidable graft‐versus‐host disease. Advanced manufacturing processes are capable of producing NK cells relatively easily in large and clinically sufficient numbers, useable without subsequent manipulations or after genetic modifications, which can solve the lack of specificity and improve clinical efficacy of NK cell products. This review summarizes the basic characteristics of NK cells and provides a quick overview of their sources. Results of clinical trials in hematological malignancies are presented, and strategies on how to improve the clinical outcome of NK cell therapy are discussed.

Hemofagocytární syndrom, difuzní alveolární hemoragie, katastrofický antifosfolipidový syndrom a různé typy trombotických mikroangiopatií patří mezi vzácné stavy s významnou morbiditou a mortalitou. Společným rysem bývá pozdní stanovení diagnózy, což může ovlivnit úspěšnost léčby. Cílem přehledného článku je shrnutí základních diagnostických a léčebných kroků předmětné subpopulace kriticky nemocných.