18th Congress of EHA
Carfilzomib plus melphalan-prednisone in elderly patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Prof Philippe Moreau - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, France
Dr Moreau, perhaps you could tell me about the background to your study and the main findings that you’ve presented at this meeting?
Yes, of course. We presented some data on the combination of carfilzomib plus melphalan and prednisone, the CMP combination, in newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma as part of front line treatment. The rationale is that VMP, bortezomib-MP, is one of the standards of care in this population of patients but we know that with VMP we do have a significant neurotoxicity because of the use of bortezomib. Carfilzomib is a second in class proteasome inhibitor and is not associated with peripheral neuropathy so we wanted to test this combination, to test this combination in a phase I/II study to find the optimal dose of carfilzomib in combination with MP and to look at the efficacy, of course, and the toxicity of the combination.
So we defined the optimal dose of carfilzomib in combination with MP and the optimal dose is 36mg/m2 and the response rates are in a quite large number of patients. Overall we have more than 60 patients enrolled in this study; the response rate is really high, we have more than 90% of response, more than 50% of very good partial response. So the combination is very effective and is not toxic at all. We don’t have any peripheral neuropathy for grade 3 and 4 in this study which is a very, very important point. The follow-up is too short now to draw a conclusion regarding the efficacy in comparison with the VMP combination but we have a good signal of activity of this new combination because that’s the first time that this combination was used in elderly patients.
So finally and very briefly it’s too early, then, really to talk about the implications for clinical practice?
Well maybe we will have some implications in the future because this combination, the CMP, will be compared with the standard of care, the VMP, in a future phase III randomised study. So we are going to have important information in the future, not yet.
Very exciting news. Thank you very much, Dr Moreau.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
