Multiple Myeloma

A majority of patients with multiple myeloma are being treated with novel agents such as thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide within a year of diagnosis instead of the chemotherapeutic regimens that were more prevalent a decade ago, according to a new study.

Multiple myeloma patients are at increased risk of developing myelodysplastic syndrome or acute leukemia after maintenance lenalidomide or thalidomide treatment, according to a new study.

An ongoing phase III study comparing the efficacy and safety of perifosine in patients with relapsed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma has been discontinued.

African American men with multiple myeloma had a significantly lower frequency of IgH translocations, a signal of nonhyperdiploid multiple myeloma, compared with European American men, according to the results of a new study published in Blood.

The FDA has approved pomalidomide (Pomalyst) to treat patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies.

ARRY-520, a novel selective kinesin spindle protein (KSP) inhibitor showed promising clinical activity both alone and combined with low-dose dexamethasone in a phase II clinical trial in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Preliminary findings presented at ASH suggest a “favorable emerging clinical profile” for once weekly administration of MLN9708 in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Data from an on-going early stage phase I/II trial of daratumumab in multiple myeloma continues to show promising activity. The dose-escalation study has shown that higher doses of daratumumab alone can reduce both bone marrow plasma cells as well as paraprotein.

Last week the US Food and Drug Administration approved carfilzomib (Kyprolis) to treat patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including treatment with bortezomib (Velcade) and an immunomodulatory therapy.

Three studies published this week show that lenalidomide improves progression-free and overall survival as a maintenance therapy in multiple myeloma, despite its link to other primary cancers.