The final results of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial indicate that perifosine in combi­nation with Velcade and dexamethasone may be effective in mul­ti­ple myeloma patients who previously relapsed from or were treatment-resistant to Velcade.

The trial results made a favorable impression on Dr. Philip McCarthy of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, who was not involved in the study.

“This combination had activity with an overall response rate (complete response, near complete response, partial response, and minor re­sponse) of 41 percent which is quite reasonable and exciting…

The results of a recent Phase 2 clinical trial suggest that siltuximab in combination with dexamethasone may be effective for some multiple myeloma patients resistant to prior dexamethasone-containing treatments. However, siltuximab in combination with high-dose dexamethasone may be associated with a high rate of serious side effects.

Dr. Peter Voorhees from the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, presented these results at the 2011 American Society of Hematology (ASH) conference in San Diego last month.

Although Dr. Voorhees and his colleagues concluded that the combination of siltuximab…

A group of myeloma experts from the International Myeloma Working Group recently published a consensus statement on maintenance therapies for myeloma patients.

In their statement, the experts reviewed the main findings from previous clinical trials that investigated the impact of maintenance therapies containing the novel agents thalidomide (Thalomid), Revlimid (lenalidomide), and Velcade (bortezomib).

Maintenance therapy is a prolonged, and often low-dose, form of treatment given to myeloma patients after their initial therapy. The goal of maintenance therapy is to prevent disease progression for as long as possible…

Combined data from two recent Phase 1 clinical trials suggest that twice-weekly marizomib, with or without low-dose dexamethasone, may be effective for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Dr. David Vesole from the John Theurer Cancer Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, who was not involved in the study, described marizomib as having “modest activity in relapsed/refractory myeloma.”

Dr. Paul Richardson from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston presented the results at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting in San Diego last month.

Marizomib (NPI-0052), which is being…

The results of a small Phase 1 clinical trial demonstrate that BT-062, a new drug specifically targeting multiple myeloma cells, shows activity and is tolerable in heavily pretreated multiple myeloma patients.

Dr. Sundar Jagannath of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City presented the results at the 2011 American Society of Hematology (ASH) conference in San Diego last month.

Based on the favorable safety and activity of BT-062, a Phase 1/2 clinical trial has been initiated and is currently recruiting patients. It will use a more…