Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone pain, anemia, kidney dysfunction, and infections may occur. Complications may include amyloidosis.
Protease inhibitors (PIs) are medications that act by interfering with enzymes that cleave proteins. Some of the most well known are antiviral drugs widely used to treat HIV/AIDS hepatitis C and COVID-19. These protease inhibitors prevent viral replication by selectively binding to viral proteases and blocking proteolytic cleavage of protein precursors that are necessary for the production of infectious viral particles.
Bortezomib, sold under the brand name Velcade among others, is an anti-cancer medication used to treat multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. This includes multiple myeloma in those who have and have not previously received treatment. It is generally used together with other medications. It is given by injection.
Proteasome inhibitors are drugs that block the action of proteasomes, cellular complexes that break down proteins. They are being studied in the treatment of cancer; and three are approved for use in treating multiple myeloma.
Tipifarnib is a farnesyltransferase inhibitor. Farnesyltransferase inhibitors block the activity of the farnesyltransferase enzyme by inhibiting prenylation of the CAAX tail motif, which ultimately prevents Ras from binding to the membrane, rendering it inactive.
Proteolix, Inc., was a private biotechnology company with headquarters in South San Francisco, California. Proteolix was founded in 2003 based on technology developed by co-founders Dr. Craig Crews and Dr. Raymond J. Deshaies. Drs. Susan Molineaux and Phil Whitcome (deceased) joined Drs. Crews and Deshaies as co-founders. Proteolix was launched based on an $18.2 million A round comprising investments by Latterell Venture Partners, US Venture Partners, Advanced Technology Ventures, and The Vertical Group. Proteolix focused primarily on the proteasome as a therapeutic target. Its lead product candidate, carfilzomib (PR-171), is a tetrapeptide epoxyketone. At the time of its sale, the company had two earlier-stage programs, an orally-bioavailable proteasome inhibitor for oncology (PR-047), and an agent preferentially targeting the immuno form of the proteasome (PR-957), with potential utility in areas such as rheumatoid arthritis. At the time of sale, Carfilzomib's route of administration was intravenous, and the company was exploring its potential utility in multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and other cancers.
Cilomilast is a drug which was developed for the treatment of respiratory disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is orally active and acts as a selective phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor.
Panobinostat, sold under the brand name Farydak, is a medication used for the treatment of multiple myeloma. It is a hydroxamic acid and acts as a non-selective histone deacetylase inhibitor.
Carfilzomib, sold under the brand name Kyprolis, is an anti-cancer medication acting as a selective proteasome inhibitor. Chemically, it is a tetrapeptide epoxyketone and an analog of epoxomicin. It was developed by Onyx Pharmaceuticals.
{{Drugbox | Verifiedfields = changed | Watchedfields = changed | verifiedrevid = 458638612 | type = mab | image = Daratumumab CD38 7DHA.png | width = | alt = | caption =Fab fragment of daratumumab (teal/green) binding CD38. From PDB entry 7DHA
Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. has been a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South San Francisco, California. The company developed and marketed medicines for the treatment of cancer. Onyx was founded in 1992 by Kevin J. Kinsella and Frank McCormick Ph.D., FRS. McCormick served as the chief scientific officer until 1998, while Kinsella was the firm's chairman. In 2009, the company acquired Proteolix, Inc., a private biotechnology company, for $276 million in cash plus additional milestone payments. In January 2012, the company was named "the top biotechnology takeover target in 2012" through an industry survey. Onyx president and chief executive officer (CEO) Tony Coles had said that Onyx liked its prospects as an independent company and was focused on bringing new therapies to patients. However, at the end of August 2013, Amgen announced it was acquiring Onyx in an agreed $10.4 billion deal.
Evolocumab is a monoclonal antibody medication designed for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.
Filanesib is a kinesin spindle protein (KIF11) inhibitor which has recently been proposed as a cancer treatment, specifically for multiple myeloma.
Isatuximab, sold under the brand name Sarclisa, is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) medication for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Ixazomib is a drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma, a type of white blood cell cancer, in combination with other drugs. It is taken by mouth in the form of capsules.
Melphalan flufenamide, sold under the brand names Pepaxto and Pepaxti, is an anticancer medication used to treat multiple myeloma.
Craig M. Crews is an American scientist at Yale University. He is the John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, and also holds joint appointments in the departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology. Crews is the Executive Director of the Yale Center for Molecular Discovery and a former Editor of the journal Cell Chemical Biology. His research interests focus on chemical biology, particularly on controlled proteostasis. Crews is a pioneer in the field of targeted protein degradation and his lab's research led to the development of the anti-cancer drug carfilzomib (Kyprolis). He is the founder of Arvinas, the first biotechnology company to bring PROTAC drugs into clinical trials. In 2019, he was named an American Cancer Society Research Professor at the Yale University.
Selinexor sold under the brand name Xpovio among others, is a selective inhibitor of nuclear export used as an anti-cancer medication. It works by blocking the action of exportin 1 and thus blocking the transport of several proteins involved in cancer-cell growth from the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm, which ultimately arrests the cell cycle and leads to apoptosis. It is the first drug with this mechanism of action.
Belantamab mafodotin, sold under the brand name Blenrep, is a medication for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.
Idecabtagene vicleucel, sold under the brand name Abecma, is a cell-based gene therapy to treat multiple myeloma.
