VIDEO: ‘March toward a cure’ continues with rapid developments in myeloma treatment

Sundar Jagannath, MD, professor of medicine, hematology and medical oncology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, details the mechanisms of therapies now available for multiple myeloma and explores how earlier approaches fit into the treatment paradigm

“Each of the new drugs have improved the outcomes for myeloma patients, but they are built on the previous developments,” he said.

He gives context to the role of proteasome inhibitors, with background on the injectable agents bortezomib (Velcade, Millennium Pharmaceuticals) and carfilzomib (Kyprolis, Onyx Pharmaceuticals) and insight on ENDEAVOR study results. He also touches on the oral agent ixazomib (Ninlaro, Takeda Pharmaceuticals), highlighting populations who stand to benefit.

Jagannath goes on to discuss the promise of HDAC inhibitors, specifically the capability of panobinostat (Farydak, Novartis) to make “resistant cancer become sensitive again” when paired with a proteasome inhibitor.

He also covers the “excitement” around two monoclonal antibodies — elotuzumab (Empliciti, Bristol-Myers Squibb), which can bring about remission in relapsed patients when combined with immunomodulatory drugs, and daratumumab (Darzalex, Janssen), which can offer durable responses in patients on the cusp of palliative care.

Jagannath underscores the continued role for high-dose melphalan (Alkeran, GlaxoSmithKline) and stem cell transplant and the potential of chimeric antigen receptor therapy.

“I can tell the patient now that if I can keep them around for the next 5 to 10 years, there will be a cure in their lifetime because of these rapid developments that are coming in this field.”