CHICAGO // by Sam Kailes // Contributing Writer, MedPage Today.In a preliminary trial, the novel agent Plitidepsin -- derived from the sea squirt Aplidium albicans -- showed activity among relapsed/recurrent multiple myeloma patients, researchers reported here.
Among the 18 patients treated with Plitidepsin plus Bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone, 10 of them -- or 55% of the group -- responded to the treatment, said Maria-Victoria Mateos, MD, PhD, consultant hematologist at the University Hospital Salamanca, Spain.
"Initial efficacy results show promising activity in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed or recurrent multiple myeloma, even in bortezomib and lenalidomide (Revlimid)-refractory patients," Mateos said in her oral presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. "These results support the continued development of plitidepsin in patients with multiple myeloma."
Progression-free survival was 8.3 months, she reported. She said that two of the patients had achieved a stringent complete response; one complete response; four very good partial responses and three partial responses. She said that three patients achieved minor responses and one patient had stable disease. Four of the 18 patients progressed on treatment. The median duration of response has not yet been reached; some patients have been treated for 18 months.
Mateos said that plitidepsin appears to work by inducing oxidative stress and causing cell death through apoptosis.
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