A combination regimen of Velcade (bortezomib), Doxil (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin), and dexamethasone (Decadron), known as the VDD regimen, is highly effective for initial treatment of multiple myeloma, according to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Velcade, which is also approved for treatment as a single agent, suppresses tumor growth by inhibiting the enzymes that break down important proteins in cancerous cells. The second component of the VDD regimen, Doxil, blocks the process of DNA replication in cancerous cells, thus preventing them from multiplying. Finally, dexamethasone …

Retreatment with Velcade (bortezomib) alone or in combination is an effective treatment for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma, according to a recent article published in the American Journal of Hematology.

Velcade, which was first approved in 2003, has previously been evaluated as a single-agent treatment in Phase 2 and 3 trials in patients with relapsed and/or refractory myeloma. It is currently the only single agent with a demonstrated survival benefit in patients with relapsed myeloma.

The prospective clinical trial published in the journal enrolled 32 patients with relapsed myeloma who had …

In a recent phase 2 clinical trial published in the journal Leukemia and Lymphoma, ten out of 23 participants with recurring multiple myeloma or other plasma cell cancers reached partial or complete remission on a steroid-free treatment regimen of Velcade (bortezomib), Doxil (doxorubicin liposomal), and thalidomide (Thalomid). The scientists at the State University of New York who performed the trial were looking for a treatment for people who cannot tolerate steroids.

Steroid-based drugs such as dexamethasone (Decadron) are common and effective multiple myeloma treatments but can have serious …

The International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) recommends that multiple myeloma patients should have their stem cells collected within four cycles of therapy with Revlimid (lenalidomide), thalidomide (Thalomid), or Velcade (bortezomib). Otherwise, these drugs may interfere with stem cell collection. The recommendations were published in the journal Blood in August.

During an autologous stem cell transplant, physicians collect a patient’s stem cells in the early stages of the patient's anti-myeloma drug regimen, and return these same cells to the individual after the regimen is complete. Transplantation is a common treatment usually given to …

On Monday, Onyx Pharmaceuticals agreed to purchase Proteolix, the developer of the cancer drug carfilzomib (Kyprolis), for $276 million. Carfilzomib, which is Proteolix’s leading cancer drug, has dem­onstrated significant tumor-reduction activity in Phase 1 trials of patients with re­lapsed multiple myeloma.

Similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), car­filz­o­mib is a proteasome inhibitor that blocks the activity of these protein-destroying enzymes and induces cancer cell death. Carfilzomib is cur­rently undergoing Phase 2 trials on patients with re­lapsed multiple myeloma, for which data will be reported in late 2010. Phase 3 trials combining car­filz­o­mib with

Preliminary results from an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial indicate that carfilzomib (Kyprolis), a new proteasome inhibitor, has significant thera­peutic results in patients with re­lapsed myeloma. The Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC) reported the results at the Joint ECCO 15-34th ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress, which was held in Berlin from September 20 to 24.

Carfilzomib selectively induces cell death in cancer cells by blocking the activity of proteasomes, which are enzymes that break down proteins. Carfilzomib is similar to Velcade (bor­tez­o­mib), the first proteasome inhibitor approved for multiple myeloma treat­ment. However, car­filz­o­mib …