The start of a new wave: Developments in proteasome inhibition in multiple myeloma

K Yong, S Gonzalez‐McQuire, Z Szabo… - European journal of …, 2018 - Wiley Online Library
K Yong, S Gonzalez‐McQuire, Z Szabo, P Schoen, R Hajek
European journal of haematology, 2018Wiley Online Library
Multiple myeloma (MM) accounts for 10% of hematological cancers. Stem cell
transplantation remains the cornerstone of first‐line treatment for eligible patients, but
historically, pharmaceutical treatment options for MM have been limited. The proteasome
was identified as a target for MM therapy in the early 2000s and, in 2004, the boronic acid
proteasome inhibitor bortezomib gained European approval. Bortezomib now plays a major
role in MM treatment, but the duration of its use can be limited by toxicities such as …
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) accounts for 10% of hematological cancers. Stem cell transplantation remains the cornerstone of first‐line treatment for eligible patients, but historically, pharmaceutical treatment options for MM have been limited. The proteasome was identified as a target for MM therapy in the early 2000s and, in 2004, the boronic acid proteasome inhibitor bortezomib gained European approval. Bortezomib now plays a major role in MM treatment, but the duration of its use can be limited by toxicities such as peripheral neuropathy and the development of resistance. A new generation of proteasome inhibitors has since entered the treatment landscape: carfilzomib, an epoxyketone‐based agent with a distinct mode of action, high clinical efficacy, and lower levels of peripheral neuropathy compared with bortezomib, received approval in 2015 for use in patients with relapsed and/or refractory MM (RRMM). Ixazomib, a second‐generation, orally administered, boronic acid proteasome inhibitor, has also been approved for use in patients with RRMM. In just over a decade, proteasome inhibitor‐based regimens have become an integral component of MM treatment; with more proteasome inhibitors in development, this remains a vibrant research area with potential to improve the lives of patients with MM in the years to come.
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