The developments in myeloma treatment continue to evolve and more agents than ever are under preclinical investigation or in clinical trials. Several classes of therapeutic agents, such as immunomodulatory (IMiD) drugs, monoclonal antibodies (MAb), proteasome inhibitors, angiogenesis inhibitors, and protein kinase inhibitors, among others, are all showing promise in treating symptoms or slowing progress of multiple myeloma.

While some agents that were previously in development may have disappeared from our list as they failed to show effectiveness, many more have taken their place. New drug companies have also emerged with antimyeloma treatments in their pipeline, and many established pharmaceutical companies and research organizations are increasingly turning their attention to multiple myeloma. We have tried to monitor their progress and provide you with updates.

The therapies described in this section are divided into various stages of clinical development. In each of the following sections you will find information about what these therapies are, how they work, and the status of clinical trials. This information will be constantly updated as new information becomes available.

The tables below provide a summary of the various agents approved by the FDA for use in myeloma or currently in clinical trials and enrolling new patients.

Be sure to visit the MMRF Patient Navigator frequently to check for new trial listings for the most promising agents.

Name Company Description FDA–Approved Agents Doxil® (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection) Ortho Biotech Reformulated version of doxorubicin; approved in 2007 for use in combination with Velcade in patients who have not received Velcade and have received at least one prior therapy Revlimid® (lenalidomide) Celgene Corporation Immunomodulatory agent with multiple effects; approved in June 2006 for use in combination with dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy Thalomid® (thalidomide) Celgene Corporation Immunomodulatory agent with multiple effects; approved in May 2006 for use in combination with dexamethasone as front-line therapy Velcade® (bortezomib for Injection) Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Proteasome inhibitor initially approved in 2005 for use in patients who have received at least one prior therapy, and in 2008 for front-line therapy Phase III Gemzar® (gemcitabine) Lilly Chemotherapy drug FDA-approved for use in a variety of cancers; being evaluated in combination with other chemotherapy drugs and tandem transplant Mozobil® (plerixafor, AMD-3100) Genzyme Novel agent that enables more rapid and effective mobilization of stem cells in preparation for stem cell transplant Tanespimycin (KOS-953; 17-AAG; geldanamycin) Bristol-Myers Squibb Inhibitor of a heat shock protein (HSP90) that promotes myeloma cell growth and survival and growth; being evaluated in combination with Velcade Phase II Actimid™ (pomalidomide, CC-4047) Celgene Corporation Type of IMiD™ (immunomodulatory drug) being evaluated in combination with dexamethasone Aflibercept (VEGF Trap) Regeneron/sanofi-aventis Anti-angiogenic fusion protein that binds VEGF Aplidin® (plitidepsin) PharmaMar, SA Marine-derived antitumor agent that induces rapid apoptosis ATN-224 Attenuon Small molecule angiogenesis inhibitor being evaluated in combination with Velcade Avastin® (bevacizumab) Genentech Humanized antibody against the VEGF receptor FDA-approved for use in several other cancers; being evaluated as part of several combination therapies AVE 1642 sanofi-aventis Monoclonal antibody directed against insulin growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) being evaluated in combination with Velcade Bexxar® (iodine I 131 tositumomab) GlaxoSmithKline FDA-approved monoclonal antibody that is directed against CD20 and has radioactive iodine 131 attached to it. CD20 is found on B cells and on a small number of myeloma patient's cells during their disease course Carfilzomib (PR-171) Proteolix Novel proteasome inhibitor; also being evaluated in a Phase I trial in combination with Revlimid-dex Certican® (everolimus, RAD001) Novartis mTor inhibitor being evaluated in combination with Nexavar® (sorafenib) CNTO 328 Centocor Anti-interleukin-6 monoclonal antibody being evaluated alone and in combination with Velcade Defibrotide Gentium SpA (Italy) Novel orally bioavailable oligonucleotide with antimyeloma activity and anticoagulant effects Denosumab (AMG 162) Amgen Human monoclonal antibody that targets the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) and inhibits bone destruction; being tested in combination with Zometa, as well as in a Phase II study as monotherapy Erbitux® (cetuximab) BMS/ImClone Monoclonal antibody directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that is FDA approved for use in colorectal and head and neck cancer; being evaluated with dexamethasone Mapatumumab (TRM-1, HGS-ETR1) Human Genome Sciences Monoclonal antibody directed against a specific TRAIL receptor; promotes apoptosis; being evaluated in combination with Velcade Nexavar® (sorafenib) Bayer/Onxy Pharmaceuticals Multi-kinase inhibitor FDA-approved for use in renal cell carcinoma that inhibits cell growth and angiogenesis; being evaluated alone and in combination with other agents PD 0332991 Pfizer Kinase inhibitor being evaluated in combination with Velcade and dexamethasone; represents the first promising cell-cycle based therapy for myeloma Perifosine (KRX-0401, D-21266) Keryx Oral anticancer agent that inhibits cell growth and promotes apoptosis; anti-tumor activity seen in early clinical trials; being evaluated alone and combination with other agents Recombinant human mannose-binding lectin (rhMBL) Enzon Pharmaceuticals Protein therapeutic being developed for the prevention of severe infections in individuals undergoing chemotherapy Rituxan® (rituximab) Genentech/Biogen Idec Monoclonal antibody FDA-approved for use in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that targets the CD20 marker found on B cells and a small number of myeloma patient's cells during their disease course; being evaluated in combination with other agents, and alone in MGUS and as maintenance therapy Romidepsin (depsipeptide, FK228, FR901228) Gloucester Pharmaceuticals /Janssen-Cilag Ltd. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor being evaluated in combination with Velcade-dex Sutent® (sunitunib malate, SU11248) Pfizer Multikinase inhibitor that blocks cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis; FDA-approved for use in renal cell carcinoma and a type of gastrointestinal cancer Thymoglobulin® (rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG) Genzyme Agent FDA-approved for use with immunosuppressants in the treatment of acute renal graft rejection; being evaluated in combination with melphalan or Rapamune® (sirolimus) Treanda® (bendamustine hydrochloride, SDX-105; known as Ribomustin® in Germany) Cephalon Oncology Alkylating agent FDA-approved for use in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia and approved in Germany for use in myeloma; recently evaluated as part of various combination therapies Trisenox® (arsenic trioxide, ATO) Cephalon Anticancer drug FDA-approved for use in acute promyelocytic leukemia Vidaza® (azacitidine) Pharmion Cytotoxic drug FDA-approved for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) Zarnestra™ (R115777, tipifarnib,FTI) Ortho Biotech Oncology Research & Development Farnesyl transferase inhibitor with evidence of target modulation in phase I trials Phase I Anti-KIR (1-7F9) Novo Nordisk Monoclonal antibody that activates the body's natural killer cells to kill tumor cells Elotuzumab (HuLuc63; humanized anti-CS1 monoclonal antibody) PDL BioPharma, Inc. Monoclonal antibody that binds to CS1, a cell surface protein that is highly expressed on myeloma cells but minimally expressed on normal cells; Being evaluated alone and in combination with Velcade GCS-100 Prospect Therapeutics Carbohydrate-based agent derived from pectin with activity in multiple cancers, and preclinical activity in myeloma GRN163L Geron Corp. Telomerase inhibitor that has been shown in vitro to induce apoptosis and inhibit myeloma cell growth; being evaluated alone and in combination with Velcade HCD122 Novartis Anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody HuMax-CD38 Genmab Human monoclonal antibody that targets the CD38 molecule, which is highly expressed on the surface of myeloma cells IMGN901 (huN901-DM1, BB-10901) Immunogen Monoclonal antibody directed against the CD56 marker found on myeloma cells coupled with a cancer drug KW-2478 Kyowa Pharmaceutical Heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor Masitinib mesylate (AB1010) AB Science Inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) that targets a genetic abnormality in myeloma, the t(4;14) translocation; being evaluated in combination with Velcade-dex outside the US Milatuzumab (hLL1, IMMU-110) Immunomedics Humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the CD74 protein found on B cells and myeloma cells Oncolytic measles virus (MV-NIS) Mayo Clinic Genetically engineered measles virus being administered with or without cyclophosphamide OPB-31121 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Agent being evaluated in myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma P276-00 Nicholas Piramal India Limited Cyclin D1 inhibitor Panobinostat (LBH589) Novartis Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor; induces apoptosis of cancer cells; being evaluated in combination with Velcade and with Revlimid-Dex Salinosporamide A (NPI-0052) Nereus Pharmaceuticals Novel marine derived proteasome inhibitor active against myeloma cells that are resistant to Velcade SGN40 Seattle Genetics Monoclonal antibody directed against CD40 being evaluated in combination with Revlimid-dex or Velcade Sprycel® (dasatinib) Bristol-Myers Squibb Kinase inhibitor FDA-approved for use in chronic myelogenous leukemia; being evaluated in combination with Velcade or Revlimid-dex Torisel™ (temsirolimus, CCI-779) Wyeth mTOR inhibitor FDA-approved for use in renal cell carcinoma; being evaluated alone and in combination with Revlimid or Velcade Zemplar™ (paricalcitol) Abbott Activated vitamin D therapy being evaluated in combination with Zometa Zevalin® (yttrium Y 90 ibritumomab tiuxetan) Cell Therapeutics, Inc. Radiolabeled monoclonal antibody FDA-approved for use in combination with Rituxan (rituximab) for the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; the combination is being evaluated prior to high-dose melphalan and stem cell transplant Zolinza® (vorinostat, SAHA [suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid]) Merck Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor FDA-approved for use in patients with cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL); has shown marked activity preclinically in multiple myeloma and is being evaluated in combination with Velcade or dex