scholarly journals Novel Non-Immunologic Agents for Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Review Article

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5210
Author(s):  
Arthur Bobin ◽  
Cécile Gruchet ◽  
Stéphanie Guidez ◽  
Hélène Gardeney ◽  
Laly Nsiala Makunza ◽  
...  

Novel treatments are needed to address the lack of options for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Even though immunotherapy-based treatments have revolutionized the field in recent years, offering new opportunities for patients, there is still no curative therapy. Thus, non-immunologic agents, which have proven effective for decades, are still central to the treatment of multiple myeloma, especially for advanced disease. Building on their efficacy in myeloma, the development of proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs has been pursued, and has led to the emergence of a novel generation of agents (e.g., carfilzomib, ixazomib, pomalidomide). The use of alkylating agents is decreasing in most treatment regimens, but melflufen, a peptide-conjugated alkylator with a completely new mechanism of action, offers interesting opportunities. Moreover, with the identification of novel targets, new drug classes have entered the myeloma armamentarium, such as XPO1 inhibitors (selinexor), HDAC inhibitors (panobinostat), and anti-BCL-2 agents (venetoclax). New pathways are still being explored, especially the possibility of a mutation-driven strategy, as biomarkers and targeted treatments are increasing. Though multiple myeloma is still considered incurable, the treatment options are expanding and are progressively becoming more diverse, largely because of the continuous development of non-immunologic agents.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans C. Lee ◽  
Claudio Cerchione

The expanding therapeutic landscape of relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) has contributed to significant improvements in patient outcomes. These have included combinations of proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), histone deacetylase inhibitors, and/or alkylating agents. More recently, the approval of the first-in-class nuclear export inhibitor selinexor and the first-in-class B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) belantamab mafodotin has helped address the current unmet need in patients refractory to PI, IMiD, and anti-CD38 mAb directed therapy, otherwise known as triple class refractory myeloma. With the growing number of treatment options in the RRMM therapeutic landscape, the choice and sequencing of drugs and combinations has become increasingly complex. In this review we discuss our approach and considerations in the treatment of both early and late RRRM based on best available data and our clinical experience.


2021 ◽  
pp. 107815522199553
Author(s):  
Joshua Richter ◽  
Vamshi Ruthwik Anupindi ◽  
Jason Yeaw ◽  
Suneel Kudaravalli ◽  
Stojan Zavisic ◽  
...  

Introduction Real-world evidence on later line treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) is sparse. We evaluated clinical outcomes among RRMM patients in the 1-year following treatment with pomalidomide or daratumumab and compared economic outcomes between RRMM patients and non-MM patients. Patient and Methods Adult patients with ≥1 claim of pomalidomide or daratumumab were identified between January 2012 and February 2018 using IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus US claims database. Patients were required to have a diagnosis or treatment for MM and a claim of any immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors before the index date. Mean time to new therapy, overall survival (OS) using Kaplan-Meier curve and adverse events (AEs) were reported over the 1-year post-index period. RRMM patients were also matched to a non-MM comparator cohort and economic outcomes were compared between the two cohorts. Results 289 RRMM patients were matched to 1,445 patients without MM. Most prevalent hematological AE was anemia (72.0%) and non-hematological AE was infections (75.4%). Mean (SD) time to a new treatment was 4.7 (5.3) months and median OS was 14.6 months. RRMM patients had significantly higher hospitalizations and physician office visits (Both P < .0001) compared to non-MM patients. Adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients with RRMM had 4.9 times (95% CI 3.8-6.4, P < .0001) the total healthcare costs compared with patients without MM. The major driver of total costs among RRMM patients was pharmacy costs (67.3%). Conclusion RRMM patients showed a high frequency of AEs, low OS, and a substantial economic burden suggesting need for effective treatment options.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e18096-e18096
Author(s):  
Anne Roc ◽  
Wendy Turell ◽  
David Dingli

e18096 Background: Newly approved and emerging agents with novel mechanisms of action present unique challenges to treating patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), including keeping abreast of rapid and ever-aggregating data on their safety, tolerability and efficacy. To address these challenges, an education activity focused on new and emerging therapies for RRMM was developed and learner responses were evaluated to determine the impact of education. Methods: A live-online 1-hour video panel discussion with slides, polling, and live questions was produced in 2016 and made available on-demand at OMedLive.com for 6 months. Survey responses (pre-, post-, 8 weeks post-activity), polling responses, and live questions asked were tracked to measure engagement, lessons learned, and additional education gaps. Results: 51 of 288 learners completed all pre/post/follow-up surveys, 67% of which reported the activity positively impacted patient experience or outcome and 61% reported it positively impacted their clinical practice. These learners reported improvements in their ability to: assess the relative safety and efficacy of emerging agents (50%), differentiate available agents and their relative efficacy (50% with proteasome inhibitors, 39% with monoclonal antibodies), see the potential benefit of HDAC inhibitors (35%), use combination regimens (29%), and adjust treatments for patients who’ve experienced disease progression (29%). As the result of education, 95 of 288 learners reported commitments to change in regards to: medical/practice knowledge (95%), care attitudes (89%), practice behavior (76%), and patient clinical outcomes (81%). Learners also demonstrated improved competence via a case scenario which required identifying the optimal next step for a patient with biochemical progression, and improved knowledge on the characteristics of daratumumab, elotuzumab, and selinexor. Conclusions: New and emerging therapies promise to improve the lives of patients with RRMM, but complicates the already difficult task of managing the disease. Ongoing education on RRMM is recommended and can yield immediate and sustained gains in knowledge, competence, and performance.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 2119-2119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilly Wilson ◽  
Adam D. Cohen ◽  
Brendan M. Weiss ◽  
Dan T. Vogl ◽  
Alfred L. Garfall ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Modern therapy for multiple myeloma including generations of thalidomide analogues, proteasome inhibitors and alkylating agents has substantially improved the survival for this disease. Patients who have progressed through these agents have limited options and a very poor prognosis. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is expressed by myeloma cells and associated cells in the microenvironment. Blockade of the PD1-PDL1 axis enhances anti-myeloma activity in pre-clinical models. Pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks PD1-PD-L1 signaling, has shown clinical activity when combined with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in pomalidomide naïve patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (Badros et al, ASH 2015). Here we report the clinical experience of a previously pomalidomide exposed patient population receiving PEMBRO/POM/DEX. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of PEMBRO/POM/DEX in 9 heavily, pre-treated pomalidomide exposed patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma between February 2016 and July 2016. All patients had been treated with ≥ 5 prior lines of therapy, including proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, and alkylating agents including high dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation. The PEMBRO/POM/DEX regimen included pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg administered intravenously over 30 minutes every 2 or 3 weeks with pomalidomide 4 mg (range 2-4 mg) orally daily 21/28 days and dexamethasone 40 mg (range 4-40 mg) weekly until evidence of progression (PD) or unacceptable toxicity. Adverse events were captured via chart review. Responses were assessed as per IMWG criteria. Results: The median age of the patients was 65 years (range 51-77) with 66% females. The patients had a median of 8 prior lines of therapy (range 5-14). The majority of subjects (78%) had cytogenetic abnormalities: 33% were gain of 1q21, 44% monosomy 17, and 11% t(11;14). Prior to therapy, 89% had significant anemia, 78% lytic bone lesions and 2 with significant renal insufficiency (creatinine 2.32 and 3.32 mg/dl respectively) though no one was on dialysis. Isotype included 5 IgA, 2 IgG, 2 lambda light chain. All patients progressed after prior lenalidomide and 8 of 9 patients progressed on previous pomalidomide the other one having stable disease. Patients received a median 3 cycles (range 2-7) of PEMBRO/POM/DEX, with modifications of pomalidomide and dexamethasone dosage dependent on toxicity. Seven patients received aspirin DVT prophylaxis. The overall response rate of PEMBRO/POM/DEX was 33%. Eighty-nine percent of patients achieved clinical benefit (3 PR, 2 MR, 3 SD). Median PFS was 57 days (0-85 days). There were no observed discontinuations of treatment or deaths attributed to drug toxicity and no pneumonitis was seen. However, adverse events consistent with previous reports from pembrolizumab as well as pomalidomide and dexamethasone were observed across all 9 patients. These AEs included: fatigue (n=9), anemia (n=9), thrombocytopenia (n=7), neutropenia (n=5), diarrhea (n=5), fevers (n= 4), shortness of breath (n=4), lower extremity edema (n=4), nausea/ vomiting (n=3), and renal insufficiency (n=3). Two patients experienced non-infectious colitis that responded to prednisone. Overall survival at 6 months for the 9 patients was 56%. 4 patients have died from progressive disease. Conclusion: PEMBRO/POM/DEX is an active regimen for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma with acceptable toxicity even in a heavily treated pomalidomide exposed patient population. Further investigation of this combination earlier in the course of the disease is warranted. Disclosures Cohen: Janssen: Consultancy; Bristol-Meyers Squibb: Consultancy, Research Funding. Weiss:Janssen: Consultancy, Other: Travel, accommodations, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy; Prothena: Other: Travel, accommodations, Research Funding; Millennium: Consultancy, Other: Travel, accommodations; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy. Vogl:Constellation: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Teva: Consultancy; Calithera: Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; Acetylon: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy. Garfall:Medimmune: Consultancy; Bioinvent: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding. Mangan:Novartis: Speakers Bureau. Stadtmauer:Janssen: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Teva: Consultancy.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 5900-5900
Author(s):  
Aaron Galaznik ◽  
Emelly Rusli ◽  
Ruthanna Davi

BACKGROUND: Despite an increasing number of treatment options available and in development, Relapsed-Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) remains an incurable disease with survival less than 12 months (Kumar SK et al., 2012). In a recent study by Moreau, et al. (2016), a relationship between response and survival was demonstrated in RRMM patients treated with pomalidomide. Understanding the relationships between initial response and long-term prognosis can potentially inform patient treatment changes or guide development of new therapeutic compounds. In a prior presentation by Berry, et al. (2017) clinical trial Study Data Tabulation Data Model (STDM) standards were used to effectively pool clinical trial data in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) to show correlations between response and survival. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we expand upon the analysis of Moreau, et al. (2016) in a pooled clinical trial dataset of RRMM patients. Within this expanded, standardized patient pool, we assess the relationship between response, progression and survival both overall and within patient sub-populations based on patient profiles and prior treatment regimens. METHODS: A retrospective pooled analysis was conducted in a dataset from the Medidata Enterprise Data Store. Subjects were selected based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria from the NIMBUS trial (Moreau et al., 2016). Descriptive statistics were calculated to characterize differences between the overall pooled population and the study group. Response, Progression-free survival (PFS), and Overall Survival (OS) were extracted. Patients were stratified by several covariates including age, gender, number of prior regimens, and prior treatments received. Log-rank tests were conducted to compare PFS and OS in patient sub-populations. Both survival measures were assessed at 90, 180, and 240 days after first day of patient's most recent regimen. Cox proportional hazard models were developed to assess predictors of PFS and OS. Safety was characterized for common potentially treatment-limiting adverse events, such as leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. Factors associated with development of neutropenia were assessed using logistic regression. Covariates included patient demographics, comorbidities, and treatment regimens (current and prior). RESULTS: Within the pooled analysis, PFS and OS rates were consistent with published literature rates, at ~4 months and ~12 months, respectively. Pooled analysis demonstrated a significant association between response, PFS, and OS. Results were consistent with findings of Moreau, et al. (2016), showing little difference between patients with Stable Disease and Partial Response, and lower overall survival in patients with Progressive Disease versus Stable Disease. Neutropenia was seen in approximately one-fourth of overall patients, and was associated with male patients, older age, and treatment regimen. CONCLUSIONS: The use of SDTM for pooled clinical trial analyses represents an effective way to overcome individual trial sample size limitations, expanding the range of populations, relative treatment outcomes, and safety event rates that can be studied. By working directly with individual patient-level data, there is also a potential for greater matching between trials than with meta-analysis approaches using aggregated data. Disclosures Galaznik: Medidata Solutions: Employment. Rusli:Medidata Solutions: Employment. Davi:Medidata Solutions: Employment.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Pinto ◽  
Rui Bergantim ◽  
Hugo R. Caires ◽  
Hugo Seca ◽  
José E. Guimarães ◽  
...  

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common blood cancer. Treatments for MM include corticosteroids, alkylating agents, anthracyclines, proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, histone deacetylase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. Survival outcomes have improved substantially due to the introduction of many of these drugs allied with their rational use. Nonetheless, MM patients successively relapse after one or more treatment regimens or become refractory, mostly due to drug resistance. This review focuses on the main drugs used in MM treatment and on causes of drug resistance, including cytogenetic, genetic and epigenetic alterations, abnormal drug transport and metabolism, dysregulation of apoptosis, autophagy activation and other intracellular signaling pathways, the presence of cancer stem cells, and the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we highlight the areas that need to be further clarified in an attempt to identify novel therapeutic targets to counteract drug resistance in MM patients.


2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1209-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob P. Laubach ◽  
Constantine S. Mitsiades ◽  
Anuj Mahindra ◽  
Marlise R. Luskin ◽  
Jacalyn Rosenblatt ◽  
...  

Despite significant progress in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) over the past decade, this disease remains incurable and almost all patients ultimately experience relapse and become refractory to treatment over time. However, the outlook for patients with relapsed MM has improved markedly with the use of the immunomodulatory drugs thalidomide and lenalidomide, and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. Moreover, the development of new drug classes based on preclinical rationale and the introduction of next-generation agents is likely to further expand treatment options and improve outcomes for relapsed MM.


Author(s):  
Hans C. Lee ◽  
Jatin J. Shah ◽  
Robert Z. Orlowski

Multiple myeloma (MM) refractory to both proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs; double-refractory myeloma) has a poor prognosis. With the more frequent use of these agents as part of initial therapy, and then in the maintenance setting until disease progression, such drug resistance is an emerging problem of great significance. New therapeutic strategies are clearly needed for this patient population, including the development of more potent agents within existing antimyeloma drug classes, exploration of rational combinations of both novel and conventional drugs, and validation of new myeloma drug targets. Several approaches have shown substantial promise, including use of the second-generation proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib and the third-generation IMiD pomalidomide, which led to the recent regulatory approval of both agents. In addition, the kinesin-spindle protein KSP inhibitor ARRY-520 has shown activity as a first-in-class drug in myeloma therapeutics, whereas the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors vorinostat and panobinostat have demonstrated efficacy when used in rational combinations. This overview provides a summary of novel agents that have shown activity in double-refractory myeloma in recent phase II and III clinical trials, and a framework for future studies that will help to improve outcomes in this patient population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 830-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bachisio Ziccheddu ◽  
Giulia Biancon ◽  
Filippo Bagnoli ◽  
Chiara De Philippis ◽  
Francesco Maura ◽  
...  

Abstract In multiple myeloma, novel treatments with proteasome inhibitors (PIs) and immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs) have prolonged survival but the disease remains incurable. At relapse, next-generation sequencing has shown occasional mutations of drug targets but has failed to identify unifying features that underlie chemotherapy resistance. We studied 42 patients refractory to both PIs and IMiDs. Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 40 patients, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed in 27. We found more mutations than were reported at diagnosis and more subclonal mutations, which implies ongoing evolution of the genome of myeloma cells during treatment. The mutational landscape was different from that described in published studies on samples taken at diagnosis. The TP53 pathway was the most frequently inactivated (in 45% of patients). Conversely, point mutations of genes associated with resistance to IMiDs were rare and were always subclonal. Refractory patients were uniquely characterized by having a mutational signature linked to exposure to alkylating agents, whose role in chemotherapy resistance and disease progression remains to be elucidated. RNA-seq analysis showed that treatment or mutations had no influence on clustering, which was instead influenced by karyotypic events. We describe a cluster with both amp(1q) and del(13) characterized by CCND2 upregulation and also overexpression of MCL1, which represents a novel target for experimental treatments. Overall, high-risk features were found in 65% of patients. However, only amp(1q) predicted survival. Gene mutations of IMiD and PI targets are not a preferred mode of drug resistance in myeloma. Chemotherapy resistance of the bulk tumor population is likely attained through differential, yet converging evolution of subclones that are overall variable from patient to patient and within the same patient.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 330-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Franken ◽  
N.W.C.J. van de Donk ◽  
J.C. Cloos ◽  
S. Zweegman ◽  
H.M. Lokhorst

Even though the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma is continuing to improve, all patients eventually develop relapsed refractory disease. Several novel therapeutics have been developed in the last few years including the second-generation proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib which has been approved for patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma in the United States since 2012. Recently data from several phase III studies have become available showing the promising efficacy of carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide, which led to the renewed approval of carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for relapsed myeloma in 2015. Furthermore carfilzomib showed superiority over bortezomib on both efficacy and toxicity profiles, especially a profoundly lower incidence in polyneuropathy. Carfilzomib has been shown to partially overcome the negative effects of high-risk cytogenetics. Promising combinations of carfilzomib with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, pomalidomide and several other novel therapeutics have been presented in early studies. The optimal dosing regimen and sequence of treatment regimens remain important questions for the future.


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