Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematologic cancer and results from an abnormality of plasma cells, usually in the bone marrow. In Europe, it is estimated that more than 60,000 people are living with multiple myeloma and approximately 21,000 new cases are diagnosed annually.Worldwide, more than 180,000 people are living with multiple myeloma and approximately 86,000 new cases are diagnosed annually – data fra 2002 - http://www.onyx.com/view.cfm/577/onyx-pharmaceuticals-announces-carfilzomib-data-presentations-at-13th-international-myeloma-workshop

Onyx Pharmaceuticals søger approval på et fase 2b forsøg med refractory/relapsed pts – følgende skriver ”The Street”:

What we already know: An FDA advisory panel will review Onyx's multiple myeloma drug carfilzomib on June 20. Onyx is seeking approval based on a single-arm phase II study in 266 patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The overall response rate to carfilzomib therapy was 22.9% with a median duration of response of 7.8 months.

What's new in the ASCO abstracts: Abstract No. 8035 describes an analysis of carfilzomib response rates in the pivotal phase II based on prior treatment with Takeda's Velcade and Celgene's(CELG_) Thalomid or Revlimid. This analysis is important because it addresses investor concerns that carfilzomib's response rate may not be potent enough in multiple myeloma patients who had depleted all other previous treatment options.

In a subset of 228 patients refractory or intolerant to Velcade and at least one other immunomodulator like Thalomid or Revlimid, the carfilzomib response rate was 20.6% with a median duration of response of 7.4 months. In a smaller subset of 44 patients refractory all approved treatments, carfilzomib's response rate was 20.5% with a median duration of response of 7.8 months, according to the abstract - http://abstract.asco.org/AbstView_114_94418.html
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11538073/2/asco-12-abstract-dump-cancer-stocks-in-focus.html

Kombiforsøg fra ASCO 2012 – bemærk alle frontline:
http://abstract.asco.org/AbstView_114_99972.html
http://abstract.asco.org/AbstView_114_100344.html
http://abstract.asco.org/AbstView_114_96240.html

Husk at frontline på ingen måde kan ikke sammenlignes med senere behandlinger !

Morphosys og Immonogen har tilsvarende produkter (anti cd38) i gang:

MOR202
http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Meetings/Abstracts?&vmview=abst_detail_view&confID=102&abstractID=80499 – i fase ½ - http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show?term=cd38&rank=3

SAR650984
http://www.immunogen.com/assets/000/000/000/087.pdf - (fig 6) - i fase 1 http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01084252?term=cd38&rank=2