Description:
Perifosine (news articles ^[1]) is a novel anti-cancer agent that is being studied for its ability to inhibit Akt, a key signal transduction pathway. Akt is particularly important in the development of cancers, impacting programmed cell death, cell growth, cell differentiation, and cell survival. High levels of activated Akt are frequently observed in many types of cancer, and it is often activated in tumors that are resistant to other anti-cancer therapy. Perifosine does not appear to cause flu-like symptoms, decreases in platelets, or hair loss, which distinguishes it from other novel agents that inhibit the Akt pathway. The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue.

Clinical Trials:
For a list of clinical trials studying perifosine for the treatment of multiple myeloma, see ClinicalTrials.gov ^[2].

Web site for Perifosine: http://www.keryx.com/page.cfm?hmid=20&smid=30&pg=19 ^[3]