Subcutaneous Isatuximab Could Ease Capacity Strain in Community Oncology

Subcutaneous isatuximab-irfc (Sarclisa Escena) received approval from the FDA on July 9, 2026, in combination with standard-of-care therapy based on data across 3 combination regimens in multiple myeloma. The subcutaneous formulation of the agent is administered via an on-body injector or manual subcutaneous injection and can be prepared at bedside rather than in a pharmacy chemotherapy hood.

Sikander Ailawadhi, MD, professor of medicine and leader of the multiple myeloma group at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, spoke with CancerNetwork^® about what shorter, simpler administration could mean for community oncology practices and infusion centers with limited capacity. Looking beyond the scope of multiple myeloma, he said the approval may represent a “huge step forward” in how treatment can be delivered more efficiently to patients with cancer in general.

Transcript:

CancerNetwork: For community oncology practices and infusion centers with limited capacity, how significant would this operational relief be for shorter administration times with the subcutaneous drug?

Ailawadhi: This is an immense benefit because this option—the [isatuximab] with the on-body injector—brings the delivery of health care to fit a diverse range of care settings and supports improved operational efficiency for how those systems work. Think about areas that are relatively remote, or infusion centers that are extremely busy. This is not just about [patients with] multiple myeloma; it is also the implication of this 1 FDA approval and how it could have an implication on cancer care across the board. Every [patient with] myeloma who does not require as many resources—chair time, pharmacy time, or nurse time—frees that capacity up for a different patient, whether that patient has multiple myeloma, colon cancer, breast cancer, or [anything else].

This helps us reimagine how we deliver health care, and how it can be delivered more efficiently to [patients with] cancer in general. This is the first [approved] anti-cancer drug ever to be given via an on-body injector. This is a huge step forward in cancer therapeutics and in how drug delivery is done for patients with cancer.

Reference

FDA approves isatuximab-irfc for subcutaneous injection for multiple myeloma indications. News release. FDA. July 9, 2026. Accessed July 13, 2026. https://tinyurl.com/4cccdbpn