Emerging role of carfilzomib in treatment of relapsed and refractory lymphoid neoplasms and multiple myeloma

Salvia Jain, Catherine Diefenbach, Jasmine Zain, Owen A O’ConnorNYU Cancer Institute, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USAAbstract: Proteasome inhibition forms the cornerstone of antimyeloma therapy. The first-in-class proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, either alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents, induces high overall response rates and response qualities in patients with clinically and molecularly defined high-risk disease. However, resistance to bortezomib and neurotoxicity associated with the treatment remain challenging issues. Carfilzomib is a novel, well tolerated, irreversible proteasome inhibitor with minimal neurotoxicity. Carfilzomib demonstrates promising activity in myeloma patients who are refractory to bortezomib and immunomodulatory agents. This review focuses on the pharmacology, safety, and efficacy of carfilzomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma in bortezomib-na ve and bortezomib-exposed populations.Keywords: carfilzomib, multiple myeloma, pharmacology, safety, efficacy