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news.EUSAPharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company, has reported promising data from preclinical studies which showed that the combination of Velcade with Quadramet is much more effective than either drug alone in its anti-myeloma effects. This US-based Phase I study included 39 multiple myeloma patients at three clinical oncology sites and was managed by Oncotherapeutics.
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Quadramet (153 Samarium-lexidronam) is a radioactive medication that targets the bone, specifically bone cancer, and is used to treat pain caused by cancer that has metastasized or spread to the bone. Velcade (bortezomib) is approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma alone in addition to chemotherapy.
The Phase I study evaluated the combination of radiotherapy, a drug that targets bone and bone marrow, with Velcade in order to determine efficacy and safety among patients who had been previously treated. This study marks the first attempt to evaluate targeted radiotherapy with the potent myeloma drug Velcade for myeloma patients, the company said.
James Berenson, principal investigator of the study, said: By using less Velcade than in previous studies along with Quadramet, responses were observed even among patients who were failing Velcade-based therapy. Some patients achieved complete responses with this novel combination treatment in this Phase I study.
Patients were given four doses of Velcade every eight weeks instead of the standard four doses every three weeks, and we observed much less peripheral neuropathy with this less intensive schedule. Overall this was a very well tolerated treatment for the patients.