Carfilzomib, a new drug similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), has been shown to be effective against multiple myeloma in re­lapsed and refractory patients.

Like Velcade, car­filz­o­mib (also called PR-171) is a proteasome inhibitor that blocks the activity of proteasomes, cellular complexes that break down proteins.  Without proteasome activity, it is believed that cells self-induce death (apoptosis), thereby inhibiting tumor growth.

A Phase I study shows that car­filz­o­mib ther­apy results in greater than 80% proteasome inhibition.  Two ongoing Phase II studies have dem­onstrated complete or partial positive responses in 18% to 54% of patients, depending …

Long-term follow-up results of two stem cell transplantation trials were presented at the 2008 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting. The trials were conducted from April 2000 to April 2004 in high risk de novo multiple myeloma patients. De novo multiple myeloma refers to the first occurrence of cancer in the body.

The two trials compared autologous transplantation followed by non-myeloablative allotransplantation (trial IFM99-03) with tandem (double) autologous transplantation (trial IFM99-04).  In the autologous transplantation procedure, a patient's stem cells are collected and stored prior to chemotherapy and later returned to the …

The impact of venous thrombotic events (VTE) on overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma was examined in a study presented at the 2008 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.

VTE occurs when a blood clot fully or partially blocks a vein, which carries blood back to the heart.  This can result in deep vein thrombosis (when a deep vein is blocked) or pulmonary embolism (when a clot dislodges and blocks an artery in the lungs).  VTE is a frequent complication of the Revlimid (lenalidomide)-dexamethasone combination treatment …

A new drug called perifosine, when given in combination with other drugs, has been shown to be effective against relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Several perifosine studies were presented at the American Society for Hematology (ASH) meeting this year.

Perifosine prevents the growth of myeloma cells by inhibiting the pathway of Akt, a key signaling protein that regulates cellular survival. Perifosine also promotes apoptosis, or programmed cell death, by activating a specific protein pathway called the JNK pathway.

Perifosine first demonstrated clinical activity when combined with another drug, dexamethasone. …

At the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting this Monday, researchers from Italy reported the positive results of a Phase 2 clinical trial combining Velcade (bortezomib) with thalidomide (Thalomid) and dexamethasone (VTD) for the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. The drug combination was used as an induction regimen to reduce the tumor in preparation for melphalan-based autologous stem cell transplantation.

Chemotherapy combined with autologous stem cell transplantation – stem cells collected and returned to the same individual - is a typical treatment option in newly …

For elderly myeloma patients or patients ineligible for a stem cell transplant, a traditional frontline therapy has been the “MP” combination of the chemotherapy drug melphalan and the corticosteroid prednisone.

Recent clinical trials, however, have combined highly effective, newer treatments such as Velcade (bortezomib), thalidomide (Thalomid), and Revlimid (lenalidomide) with the standard MP regimen in the hope of finding improved response and survival rates.

This Monday at the 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), researchers presented updated results of a Phase 3 …

On Monday of this year’s American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting, researchers presented new results indicating that the novel treatment with Velcade (bortezomib), Doxil (doxorubicin), and dexamethasone (VDD) in newly-diagnosed myeloma patients is superior to a competing novel treatment with thalidomide (Thalomid) and dexamethasone (TD) both before and after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

From July 2003 to May 2005, 31 patients with newly-diagnosed myeloma were treated with three 5-week cycles of TD regimen at the University of Michigan Cancer Center. The trial’s results were then compared to a subsequent study conducted …