title: The future of drug development and therapy in myeloma.
abstract: The treatment options and outcomes for patients with myeloma has dramatically improved over the past decade, due in large part to the availability of improved anti-myeloma treatments including high-dose therapy, thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide. Many of the currently active agents are effective because of their impact on normal plasma cell biology, suggesting that targeting the plasma cell, rather than malignant cell biology has led to more effective therapy. Additionally, the use of combination therapy, with agents that are synergistic when combined, has led to deeper responses, and these have likely also contributed to improvements not only in progression free but also overall survival. With the wealth of new agents coming into the myeloma space, it is incumbent upon us as investigators to utilize efficient study designs with novel statistical approaches in order to rapidly test and evaluate new drugs. These concepts as well as a few selective promising targets in early development will be reviewed in the current discussion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA. Electronic address: sloni01@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Sagar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lonial
authors.forename: Lawrence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Boise
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors