Leading myeloma specialists from across Europe recently published an article in the journal The Oncologist that summarized the current treatment options and availability of therapeutic agents for multiple myeloma patients in Europe. This article, Part 3 in a series, summarizes the European physicians’ treatment recommendations for patients with relapsed myeloma. Part 1 compares availability of myeloma treatments in Europe and the U.S., and part 2 summarizes physician’s treatment recommendations for newly diagnosed patients. Part 4 will cover the management of side effects.

Although recent clinical trials have demonstrated that novel …

Representatives from Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, developer of a proprietary formulation of resveratrol called SRT501, confirmed yesterday that a clinical trial of the drug in multiple myeloma patients was suspended because several patients developed kidney failure.  The Myeloma Beacon reported the trial's suspension in an article earlier this week.

Sirtris representatives also have told the Beacon that all patients who experienced kidney failure during the trial were being treated with only SRT501 when their kidney problems developed.

However, it is still uncertain whether the kidney failures were simply a manifestation of the underlying …

The results of a recent study suggest that Zolinza (vorinostat), in combination with Velcade (bortezomib), may be effective in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma after prior treatment with Velcade. The study was published in the journal Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.

Velcade has become a standard first-line treatment option for multiple myeloma, but more and more patients are developing resistance to or relapsing after it. Zolinza is a new cancer drug that is already approved for a certain form of lymphoma. Preclinical trials suggest that it enhances …

A clinical trial of a proprietary form of resveratrol has been suspended due to safety concerns.  The resveratrol-based drug, SRT501, was being studied in a Phase 2 trial with multiple myeloma patients.  Phase 2 trials usually are the first clinical trials that look in detail at a drug’s potential effectiveness.

SRT501, which is not yet approved by the Food & Drug Administration, is being developed by Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, biotech company.  Sirtris was founded in 2004 and acquired in 2008 by the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

Sirtris describes SRT501 as …

Leading myeloma specialists from across Europe recently published an article in the journal The Oncologist that summarized the current treatment options and availability of therapeutic agents for multiple myeloma patients in Europe. This article, Part 2 in a series, summarizes the European physician’s treatment recommendations for newly diagnosed patients. Part 1 compares availability of myeloma treatments in Europe and the U.S., and subsequent articles will summarize treatment recommendations for relapsed patients and management of side effects.

First-Line Treatment Practices

Due to more restrictive approved uses in Europe, there are also significant …

Leading myeloma specialists from across Europe recently published an article in the journal The Oncologist that summarized the current treatment options and availability of therapeutic agents for multiple myeloma patients in Europe. This article, Part 1 in a series, compares availability of the treatments in Europe and the United States. Subsequent articles will summarize the European physicians’ treatment recommendations for newly diagnosed patients, relapsed patients, and management of side effects.

Prior to the introduction of novel therapeutic agents within the last two decades, the treatment options for multiple myeloma patients were rather …

The combination therapy of Velcade (bortezomib), melphalan (Alkeran), and prednisone, commonly referred to as VMP, extends overall survival in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, compared to melphalan-prednisone (MP) therapy, even after prolonged follow-up and extensive subsequent therapy. Researchers also found that VMP did not increase resistance to subsequent therapy.

The Phase 3 clinical trial, known as VISTA, had shown that VMP therapy improved outcomes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients compared to MP therapy. In particular, patients on VMP showed better response and longer overall survival than patients on …