A num­ber of new drugs are on the horizon for re­lapsed and re­frac­tory patients, as discussed by physicians at the 2009 Inter­na­tional Myeloma Workshop (IMW). The dis­cus­sion covered drugs in all stages of devel­op­ment, from those still undergoing initial lab testing to ones already in inter­na­tional clin­i­cal trials.

Overall re­spon­siveness to treat­ment has im­proved dramatically with the recent in­tro­duc­tion of more potent agents such as Revlimid (lena­lido­mide) and Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib). Doctors are now testing com­bi­na­tions of these two drugs with newer pharma­ceu­ticals. Of the two, Velcade has been …

Carfilzomib, a new drug similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), has been shown to be 18 per­cent to 54 per­cent effective against multiple myeloma in re­lapsed and refractory patients, depending on the level of prior treat­ment.

Carfilzomib ther­apy has pre­vi­ously been shown to result in greater than 80 per­cent proteasome inhibition. Furthermore, car­filz­o­mib in comparison to current treat­ments presents a reduction in the occurrence of periph­eral neu­rop­athy, a painful side effect that causes pain and numbness in the hands and feet. A pre­vi­ous article discusses how car­filz­o­mib uses proteasome inhibition to stop …

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 …