This article is the fifth in a five-part series about emerging vaccines for multiple myeloma. It tells the story of a patient who participated in a myeloma vaccine clinical trial.  The first article in the series provides an introduction to the concept of a myeloma vaccine, the second article provides an introduction to the various types of myeloma vaccines that are currently under development, the third article describes vaccines for which clinical trials have been completed, and …

The results of a Phase 1 trial suggest that the experimental drug PD 0332991 may be a safe and effective treatment for pre-treated multiple myeloma patients.

Dr. Ruben Niesvizky of the Weill Cornell Medical College, who presented the results at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in Orlando last month, pointed out that data about efficacy is limited at this point because it was a Phase 1 trial. However, he added “We are encouraged [by the results] because …

Three studies presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando support the use of Revlimid as maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma patients.

In two studies, Revlimid (lenalidomide) maintenance increased time to disease progression among multiple myeloma patients after stem cell transplantation.

A third study showed the same benefit for older newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not candidates for stem cell transplantation.

Side effects were minor across all three studies. However, …

Pomalidomide has demonstrated efficacy in heavily pre-treated multiple myeloma patients who have been treated with – or are even refractory to – Revlimid and Velcade.

Three studies of the use of pomalidomide (Pomalyst) in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients were presented yesterday at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting in Orlando.

Pomalidomide, which is being developed by the pharmaceutical company Celgene, is an immunomodulatory agent that induces the immune system to destroy myeloma cells. It belongs to the …

Description:
Milatuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets tumors expressing the CD74 antigen. As the first anti-CD74 antibody studied in human clinical trials, it is currently being investigated as a treatment of multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Clinical Trials:
For a list of clinical trials studying milatuzumab for the treatment of multiple myeloma, see ClinicalTrials.gov.

Official website for milatuzumab: http://www.immunomedics.com/5clinical/Milatuzumab.html

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, an organization that decides which treatments will be made available under the state-funded National Health Service in the United Kingdom, recommended thalidomide as a first line of treatment for multiple myeloma patients in a draft guidance published August 26. Velcade was also recommended as a first line of treatment, but only for patients unable to tolerate thalidomide.

This draft guidance follows a previous draft published by the National Institute for Health and …

The results of a recent study suggest that although the chromosomal abnormalities t(4;14) and del(17p) are associated with poor prognoses in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, Velcade-dexamethasone therapy improved survival among patients with t(4;14) compared to treatment with vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone.

However, patients with the t(4;14) abnormality did not respond as well to Velcade and dexamethasone as patients without the abnormality.  Patients with del(17p) did not show the same improvements when treated with Velcade-dexamethasone.

The presence of chromosomal abnormalities …