Meet Mary
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MARY
My name is Mary. I’m 72 years old. I’ve been married to David for 47 years.
DAVID
My name is David and I'm 74 years old.
MARY
In my spare time I do a lot of baking.
MARY
I’m hoping that my grandchildren will love baking as much as I do. And so, as an activity when they’re visiting us, I try to have something that’s baking related.
DAVID
I do get the benefit of the baking.
MARY
He’s my tester.
MARY
When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012, I had just retired two months earlier, so it was quite a change in plans at that point in time. Basically everything was put on hold. Any trips that we had planned, any babysitting that we had planned with our grandchildren.
MARY
Even social engagements with our friends because I had no idea what my treatment regimen might be. I had no idea what my side effects would be and how I would be feeling. After my diagnosis one of the things that was hardest for me to give up was baking with my grandchildren, because I just did not have the energy.
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MARY
Another issue for me during the time I was receiving all of these treatments was really the time commitment to receive the therapies I was getting. Sometimes I had to go twice a week, sometimes I had to go three times a week. Some of them were five hours long. And, of course, some of the side effects required that I see other specialists. So, it felt like our car knew one place to go, and that was to the doctor’s office for my appointments.
DAVID
It really brought life into a more narrow focus, I think. And I started spending more time thinking about how long I was maybe gonna have left with my spouse and partner.
DAVID
The increments of time went from long-range planning to month-by-month planning. And when we heard about CAR T, that was someplace to explore.
MARY
I had been aware of CAR T as an emerging therapy through my reading. I saw a presentation at my support group meeting on CAR T, which made me want to learn more about it. Even after trying more than three different kinds of treatment and four or more lines of therapy, my myeloma came back. Prior to CAR T I had been on immunomodulatory agents, proteasome inhibitors, and also monoclonal antibody. At the next visit I had with my specialist, he told me that I should consider an ABECMA CAR T therapy.
MARY
For me, the most appealing thing about ABECMA was that it is a one-time infusion. I went into it very excited.
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[Music & VO]
ABECMA also known as idecabtagene vicleucel is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM), when: you have tried two or more kinds of treatments that have not worked or have stopped working, and you have received at least one therapy from each of these drug classes: an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, an anti-CD38 antibody.
WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS
ABECMA may cause side effects that are life-threatening and can lead to death, including risk of cytokine release syndrome, also called CRS, neurologic toxicity, infections, low blood cell counts, also called cytopenia, and certain types of blood cancers.
Call your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: trouble breathing, fever, 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius or higher, chills or shivering, confusion, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, shaking or twitching (tremor), fast or irregular heartbeat, feeling severely tired or weak, severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Because of the risk of serious side effects, your healthcare provider will give you an ABECMA Patient Wallet Card that describes symptoms to look out for that require emergency medical care right away. It's important that you tell your healthcare providers that you have received ABECMA and to show them your ABECMA Patient Wallet Card. Your healthcare provider may give you other medicines to treat your side effects.
See additional Important Safety Information at the end of this video, and full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide at ABECMA.com
MARY
The first step in the process to receiving my ABECMA cells was a process called leukapheresis. That means they took my T cells and extracted them. It was a very short process, I think it was what, two hours? I got to watch them pack up my cells and get ‘em ready to be shipped off to the manufacturing center. It was quite a euphoric feeling to see that your cells were being shipped off and who knew what—I mean, it was hopeful. Four weeks after my leukapheresis, I returned to the clinical center, and I did the same sort of testing that I had done to qualify.
MARY
And following that, I underwent a short course of chemotherapy to make room in my body to receive the ABECMA cells. I got three days in a row and then I had two days of rest before I was admitted to the hospital. And they spent that first day just doing some baseline checking. And then the very next morning, in marched several people with my cells and it took about 20 minutes and then it was a wait and see.
MARY
There was just the anticipation of what the outcome might be. When I got home and I looked back on my ABECMA experience, it was very similar in terms of the process to when I did my stem cell transplants. But the real difference for me was that it was not as difficult from a patient perspective.
MARY
After receiving my cells I was monitored regularly by the nursing staff for my vitals. And then I also received a daily visit to check to make sure that I wasn’t showing any signs of neurotoxicity or CRS.
DAVID
While we were staying close to the treatment center, they told me to watch out particularly for signs of CRS. Also, to watch for signs of fever or any issues with trouble breathing.
MARY
I developed a low-grade fever, which was treated. And that was really sort of the extent of my side effects. Having an experienced, specialized team caring for me after receiving my ABECMA cells was very comforting because I knew they had experience and they would take really good care of me.
MARY
We returned home about a month after we arrived for the ABECMA infusion, and it was very similar to the experience that we had while staying close to the hospital after I was discharged. The difference was we were seeing more family, friends. We returned to the clinical center where I had my CAR T done a month after we had returned home. And it was pretty joyous because the trend was looking good at that time. Following ABECMA, I started feeling a little bit better every day.
MARY
I clearly remember the day that I was standing in front of my kitchen sink, and I baked cookies, and I hadn’t sat down once during the process. To play with my grandchildren, and to bake with them, to garden, to do the things I really love. I’ve been given more years of life.
MARY
I have two more grandchildren. I spend so much of every day in gratitude.
MARY
The most significant thing I learned about myself during the ABECMA treatment, is that I am resilient and that my body is resilient and it’s stronger than I thought.
MARY
I’m still responding to ABECMA. I feel wonderful. My advice to others is to learn about your treatment options as early as you can. That way, you’ll be prepared.
MARY
There is hope even when things look very dark. If you use your resources and ask for more than one opinion and dig deep, that there is usually something there that can help you, but you got to go look for it.
VO
ABECMA, also known as idecabtagene vicleucel, is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM), when: you have tried two or more kinds of treatments that have not worked or have stopped working, and you have received at least one therapy from each of these drug classes: an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, an anti-CD38 antibody.
WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS
ABECMA may cause side effects that are life-threatening and can lead to death, including risk of cytokine release syndrome, also called CRS, neurologic toxicity, infections, low blood cell counts, also called cytopenia, and certain types of blood cancers. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: trouble breathing, fever (100.4°F or 38°C or higher), chills or shivering, confusion, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, shaking or twitching (tremor), fast or irregular heartbeat, feeling severely tired or weak, severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Because of the risk of serious side effects, your healthcare provider will give you an ABECMA Patient Wallet Card that describes symptoms to look out for that require emergency medical care right away. It's important that you tell your healthcare providers that you have received ABECMA and to show them your ABECMA Patient Wallet Card. Your healthcare provider may give you other medicines to treat your side effects.
How will I receive ABECMA?
ABECMA is a CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy. It is a prescription medicine made using your own white blood cells. These white blood cells have been changed (genetically modified) to find and attack your multiple myeloma cells. ABECMA is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion.
Before receiving your ABECMA infusion: Your blood cells will be collected by a process called leukapheresis, sometimes called apheresis.
Your blood cells will be sent to a manufacturing site to make your ABECMA. Based on clinical trial experience, your ABECMA will be ready to be shipped back to your healthcare provider about 4 weeks after your cells are received at the manufacturing site, but the time may vary. Your healthcare provider will give you 3 days of chemotherapy to prepare your body before receiving your ABECMA treatment.
On the day of your ABECMA infusion: you will receive ABECMA through a tube (catheter) placed into your vein (intravenous infusion). Your dose of ABECMA may be given in one or more infusion bags. Each infusion bag usually takes up to 30 minutes.
After receiving your ABECMA infusion: For at least 1 week (7 days) after receiving ABECMA, you will stay at the facility where you received your treatment and be monitored daily. For 2 weeks after receiving ABECMA, you should plan to stay close (within 2 hours) to the facility where you received your treatment. During this time, your healthcare provider will check to see that your treatment is working and help you with any side effects that may occur.
What should I avoid after receiving ABECMA?
Do not drive for at least 2 weeks after you get ABECMA. Do not donate blood, organs, tissues, or cells for transplantation.
What are the possible or reasonably likely side effects of ABECMA?
Serious side effects. ABECMA can increase the risk of serious side effects. A serious side effect is a side effect that is severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. The serious side effects of ABECMA include, but are not limited to:
Early deaths. In a clinical study comparing ABECMA to standard treatments, a higher proportion of people died in the first 9 months from when they were assigned to receive ABECMA compared to people assigned to receive standard treatments. The higher rate of early death was seen before people received ABECMA, and the main reason was that their multiple myeloma had gotten worse. There was also an increase in the rate of death from side effects after receiving ABECMA.
Cytokine release syndrome, also called CRS. ABECMA can increase the risk of CRS, a very common side effect which can be severe or fatal. CRS happens when the immune system responds to an infection or a drug more aggressively than it should. Symptoms to look out for include: fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), trouble breathing, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, headache, fast heartbeat, low blood pressure, feeling tired or weak.
Infections. ABECMA can increase the risk of life-threatening infections that may lead to death. Symptoms to look out for include: fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), chills, any other signs or symptoms of an infection.
Low blood cell counts, also known as cytopenia. ABECMA can lower the number of one or more types of your blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets), which may make you feel weak or tired, and could increase your risk of severe infection or bleeding. After treatment, your healthcare provider will test your blood to check for this. Symptoms to look out for include: fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), feeling weak or tired, bruising, bleeding.
Other (secondary) blood cancers. ABECMA may increase your risk of getting certain types of cancers, including certain types of blood cancers. You may hear your healthcare provider call these “secondary hematological malignancies.” Your healthcare provider should monitor you for any signs of secondary cancers.
ABECMA may cause a false-positive HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) test result by some commercial tests.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms after receiving ABECMA. Remember to bring and show your ABECMA Patient Wallet Card to any healthcare provider who treats you.
Most common side effects
The most common side effects of ABECMA include: feeling tired or weak, fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), chills or shivering, severe nausea or diarrhea, decreased appetite, headache, dizziness or lightheadedness, confusion, trouble speaking or slurred speech, cough, trouble breathing, fast or irregular heartbeat.
These are not all the possible side effects of ABECMA.
Talk to your healthcare team for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report side effects to Bristol Myers Squibb at ABECMA.com or by calling 1-888-805-4555, or to the FDA by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.
For more information, please see the U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide for ABECMA at ABECMA.com. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information about this medication.
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