Antidepressant Demonstrates Anti-Myeloma Activity - Results of a preclinical study conducted in China indicate that the antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil) may have anti-myeloma activity.  Amitriptyline is an older drug, first approved for use in the United States in the early 1960s.  It belongs to a class of drugs known as tricyclic antidepressants.  Myeloma patients may be aware of the drug be­cause it sometimes is prescribed as a treat­ment for periph­eral neu­rop­athy (pain, tingling, and loss of sensation in the extremities due to nerve damage).  In the recent Chinese study, researchers found that orally admin­istered ami­trip­tyline significantly reduced the growth of myeloma cells in mice implanted with either mouse or human myeloma cells.  As a result, the drug substantially ex­tended the survival of the mice with the myeloma cells.  The researchers also found that combining ami­trip­ty­line with Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib) had a greater anti-myeloma effect than would have been expected given the anti-myeloma effect of each individual drug on its own.  For more in­­for­ma­tion, please see the study in the journal Anti-Cancer Drugs (abstract).

Phase 3 Clinical Trial To Study Ixazomib Combination In Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients – The pharma­ceu­tical com­pany Millennium has launched a Phase 3 trial of its investigational drug ixazomib (MLN9708) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not can­di­dates for stem cell trans­plan­ta­tion. The study, which will be carried out in North America and Europe, will in­ves­ti­gate the efficacy and safety of ixazomib in com­bi­na­tion with Revlimid (lena­lido­mide) and dexamethasone (Decadron). Ixazomib is an oral drug that belongs to the same class of drugs as Velcade and Kyprolis (car­filz­o­mib), called proteasome inhibitors. In recent Phase 1/2 clinical trials, ixazomib showed promise as a single agent as well as in com­bi­na­tion with Revlimid and dexa­meth­a­sone in both newly diagnosed and re­lapsed/​refractory myeloma patients (see related Beacon news). For more in­­for­ma­tion, please see the Millennium press release and the clinical trial description.

Human Cytomegalovirus Virus Reactivation After Donor Transplant Does Not Impact Survival In Myeloma Patients – The human cytomegalovirus virus (HCMV) is a type of herpes virus which infects over half the U.S. population.  The virus is usually dormant, but if it is reactivated, it can result in eye or lung in­fec­tions which, if they occur in patients who have received a donor stem cell trans­plant, can have serious consequences, including death.  The results of a recent French study show that myeloma patients who carry HCMV are at high risk of virus reactivation after reduced-intensity donor stem cell trans­plan­ta­tion, irrespective of whether the donor also carried the virus. Patients’ whose donors carried HCMV were also at risk of virus reac­ti­va­tion after trans­plan­ta­tion. Another factor that contributed to virus reactivation was if the patient, within 100 days of their trans­plant, developed graft-versus-host disease (a potentially serious side effect of donor stem cell trans­plan­ta­tion in which donor immune system cells attack the patient's cells).  The French researchers also found, however, that virus reactivation did not negatively impact post-transplant out­comes, such as pro­gres­sion-free and over­all survival.  In fact, there was a trend toward better out­comes for patients who were at higher risk of virus reactivation.  For more in­­for­ma­tion, please see the study in the Mediterranean Journal of Hema­tology and Infectious Diseases (full text).

LLS Teleconference On Myeloma Treatment And Side Effect Management – On June 3, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will sponsor a free teleconference call about the treat­ment of multiple myeloma and man­agement of side effects.  Dr. Vincent Rajkumar from the Mayo Clinic will lead the pro­gram, which runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time.  Dr. Rajkumar will speak about current and emerging myeloma treat­ments, the role of clinical trials in the devel­op­ment of myeloma treat­ments, and the importance of com­munication between patient and provider about treat­ment-related side effects and man­agement of them. For more in­­for­ma­tion or to register, please see the LLS website.