How is patient care for multiple myeloma advancing?

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Treatment of multiple myeloma has undergone profound changes in the past years thanks to the increased understanding of the biology of the disease and the new treatment options. New drugs and effective approaches are currently available for the treatment of multiple myeloma, including immunomodulatory agents, proteasome inhibitors and autologous stem cell transplantation.

Areas covered: We have described the recent updated criteria to start treatment in multiple myeloma and summarized clinical data from major studies including most recent agents. Particularly, results with pomalidomide, carfilzomib, ixazomib, monoclonal antibodies such as elotuzumab, daratumumab, and checkpoint inhibitors have been reported. Both transplant and non-transplant settings have been covered.

Expert commentary: Despite the successful improvement in overall survival and time to relapse, multiple myeloma still remains incurable. Therefore, there is still an unmet need for new treatment strategies with novel mechanisms of action, like monoclonal antibodies, novel immunomodulators, and novel proteasome inhibitors. Implementation of these novel drugs in rationally designed therapies with a good balance of efficacy and safety should be carefully considered in order to improve outcome.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple myeloma
• immunomodulatory agents
• pomalidomide
• proteasome inhibitors
• carfilzomib
• monoclonal antibody
• elotuzumab
• daratumumab
• panobinostat
• ixazomib
• check point inhibitors

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Giorgio Schirripa for assistance in preparing the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

A Larocca has received honoraria from Amgen, BMS, Celgene and Janssen-Cilag. S Bringhen has received honoraria from BMS, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, and is on the advisory board for Amgen, Mundipharma and Karyopharm. M Boccadoro has reviewed honoraria from Sanofi, Celgene, Amgen, Janssen, Novartis, Abbivie, BMS, and research funding from Celgene, Janssen, Amgen, BMS, Mundipharma, Novartis and Sanofi. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was not funded.