Genmab and Janssen Sign License Agreement For Dara­tu­mu­mab For Multiple Myeloma – Danish bio­technology com­pany Genmab has signed a license agree­ment with Janssen Biotech Inc., a sub­sid­i­ary of Johnson & Johnson, allow­ing Janssen to further develop and mar­ket daratumumab for the treat­ment of multiple myeloma. Dara­tu­mu­mab belongs to the same class of drugs as elotuzumab and siltuximab, called mono­clonal anti­bodies. Monoclonal anti­bodies signal the body's immune sys­tem to kill myeloma cells. Dara­tu­mu­mab recently showed promising activity in re­lapsed and refractory myeloma patients (see related Beacon news). It is cur­rently being studied in Phase 1/2 trials, which will be com­pleted by Genmab. According to the agree­ment, which could be worth more than $1 billion, Janssen will com­plete all addi­tional devel­op­ment of dara­tu­mu­mab. For more in­for­ma­tion, please see the Johnson & Johnson press release.

Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial To Study Linsitinib In Relapsed And Refractory Myeloma Patients – The University Health Network of Toronto, in col­lab­o­ration with the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium and Japanese pharma­ceu­tical com­pany Astellas Pharma, is starting a Phase 1/2 trial of linsitinib in com­bi­na­tion with Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib) and dexamethasone (Decadron) in re­lapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients. The trial, which will take place at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, is avail­able to myeloma patients who have received at least one prior ther­apy. Linsitinib (ASP7487, OSI-906) is a protein that triggers cancer cell death by inhibiting insulin-like growth factor 1. Preclinical studies have shown linsitinib to be effective when given with Velcade. For more in­for­ma­tion, please see the clinical trial description.

Revlimid-Delanzomib-Dexamethasone Combination May Be Effective For Multiple Myeloma – Results from a pre­clin­i­cal study indicate that delanzomib (CEP-18770) in com­bi­na­tion with Revlimid (lena­lido­mide) and dexa­meth­a­sone may be an effective treat­ment for multiple myeloma. Specifically, researchers found that the three-drug com­bi­na­tion limited cancer growth more than Revlimid-dexamethasone ther­apy alone. Delanzomib, like Velcade and Kyprolis (car­filz­o­mib), is a pro­te­a­some inhibitor that prevents the breakdown of proteins in cancer cells, triggering their death. The results of the current study sup­port pre­vi­ous pre­clin­i­cal findings that showed delanzomib is a viable alter­na­tive for patients who do not respond to Velcade. Based on their findings the study investigators rec­om­mend addi­tional study of this three-drug ther­apy. For more in­for­ma­tion, please see the study in Leukemia Research.

HIV/AIDS Drug Zidovudine May Be Effective For Multiple Myeloma – Findings from a recent Brazilian study show that the HIV/AIDS drug zidovudine (Retrovir, also known generically as azidothymidine, or AZT) may be an effective treat­ment for multiple myeloma. Zidovudine was the first ther­apy in the United States approved for the treat­ment of HIV.  In the current study, researchers showed that zidovudine triggers cancer cell death in human myeloma cell lines. The study investigators also reported that zidovudine sig­nif­i­cantly reduced the number of myeloma cells in mice. According to the Brazilian researchers, this is the first time zidovudine has been studied in the context of multiple myeloma, and they suggest that the drug be in­ves­ti­gated further for the treat­ment of multiple myeloma. For more in­for­ma­tion, please refer to the study in Anticancer Agents in Medical Chemistry (abstract).