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Articles tagged with: Velcade

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[ by and | Feb 8, 2012 1:28 pm | No Comment ]
Perifosine Combination May Be Effective In Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (ASH 2011)

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.

Dr. Philip McCarthy from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, who was not involved in the study, described perifosine’s activity as reasonable.

“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 in this heavily pre­treated population,”…

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[ by | Feb 6, 2012 5:29 pm | No Comment ]

Viracept Demonstrates Anti-Myeloma Activity – Results of a recent preclinical trial show that Viracept (nelfinavir), alone or in combination with other common myeloma drugs, prevents myeloma cell growth and causes cell death. Viracept is a protease inhibitor and is approved in the United States and Canada for the treatment of HIV.  Studies have suggested that protease inhibitors such as Viracept may be effective against cancer.  It is thought that they may work similarly to proteasome inhibitors like Velcade (bortezomib), In this preclinical study, Viracept enhanced the anti-cancer activity of myeloma drugs Velcade and dexamethasone (Decadron) as well as an anti-cancer compound called valproic acid.  Viracept also slowed tumor growth in mice with myeloma. For more information, see the study in Haematologica (pdf).

Study Helps Demonstrate How Green Tea Fights Myeloma – EGCG, an active compound in green tea, has previously been shown to have cancer preventative and cancer fighting properties.  However, little was known about the way EGCG works to fight cancer.  In this recent preclinical study, Japanese researchers showed that EGCG works by disrupting the outer membrane of myeloma cells, but not healthy cells, thereby selectively killing myeloma cells. For more information, please see the study in Biochemical Journal (pdf).  For information about green tea blocking the effectiveness of Velcade, see related Beacon news.

ACY-1215 In Combination With Velcade Shows Potential As Myeloma Treatment – The results of a recent preclinical study show that low doses of ACY-1215 in combination with Velcade kill multiple myeloma cells. ACY-1215, which is being developed by Acetylon Pharmaceuticals, belongs to a class of drugs called HDAC inhibitors. Zolinza (vorinostat) and panobinostat are also HDAC inhibitors that are being studied for the treatment of myeloma. The study showed that ACY-1215 in combination with Velcade slowed tumor growth and extended the overall survival of mice with myeloma. ACY-1215 is currently being studied in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in combination with Velcade and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. For more information or to enroll in the trial, please see the study in Blood (abstract) and the clinical trial description.

NVP-HSP990 May Be Active Against Myeloma – Results of a recent preclinical study show that NVP-HSP990, alone or in combination with other myeloma treatments, may be effective at treating multiple myeloma. NVP-HSP990, which is being developed by Novartis (NYSE: NVS), is a heat shock protein 90 inhibitor like tanespimycin, which was in Phase 3 trials for myeloma when its development was halted in 2010.  The recent study showed that NVP-HSP990 killed myeloma cells in the laboratory, and this activity was significantly enhanced in combination with melphalan (Alkeran).  For more information, see the study in Anticancer Research (abstract).

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[ by and | Feb 1, 2012 5:16 pm | 7 Comments ]
Experts Publish Consensus Statement On Maintenance Therapy In Multiple Myeloma

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…

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[ by | Jan 25, 2012 4:31 pm | 3 Comments ]
Questions And Answers About The FDA’s Approval Of Subcutaneous Velcade

Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved subcutaneous administration of Velcade (see related Beacon news).  Previously, intravenous administration was the only approved method.

More details are provided in this article to answer multiple myeloma patients’ questions about the FDA decision.

What exactly did the FDA approve?

The FDA approved a supplemental new drug application for Velcade (bortezomib), which is an application to make changes to an already approved product.  Specifically, the FDA approved updated prescribing information that now says Velcade can be administered by intravenous…

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[ by | Jan 23, 2012 4:28 pm | 2 Comments ]
Beacon BreakingNews – Subcutaneous Velcade Receives FDA Approval

Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company announced today that the U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved subcutaneous administration of Velcade for the treatment of multiple myeloma and relapsed mantle cell lymphoma.

Velcade (bortezomib), which is marketed by Millennium and its parent company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502), is currently approved to be administered intravenously (infused into a vein).

The FDA decision to approve the subcutaneous administration of Velcade (injection into fat just below the skin, often abbreviated as subcu or subQ) was based on results of a Phase 3 study…

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