Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma
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A p r i l 2 0 0 8 www.clinicaladvances.com Volume 6, Issue 4, Supplement 8 Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma A Review of Selected Presentations from the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology With expert commentary by: H. Miles Prince, MD Haematology Service Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre University of Melbourne Melbourne, Australia Supported through an educational grant from Gloucester Pharmaceuticals. AB st r acts r e vi e w Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma A Review of Selected Presentations from the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology 1167 Safety and Efficacy of the positive cells both sensitive and resistant to the tyrosine Combination of Bortezomib with the kinase inhibitor imatinib.3 Combinations of bortezomib and the HDAC inhibitors sodium butyrate and suberoyl- Deacetylase Inhibitor Romidepsin in anilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, vorinostat) were then Patients with Relapsed or Refractory investigated by Pei and associates in preclinical research Multiple Myeloma: Preliminary Results that demonstrated synergistic activity between the two 4 of a Phase I Trial1 classes of drugs in human multiple myeloma cells. Cells preincubated with a subtoxic concentration of bortezo- HM Prince, H Quach, P Neeson, M Keegan, mib markedly sensitized cells to sodium butyrate– and M Copeman, S Peinert, M Bishton, M Wolf, vorinostat-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, caspase D Ritchie, JF Seymour, D Carney, 9, 8, and 3 activation, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase D Westerman, S Harrison degradation, resulting in synergistic induction of apopto- sis. It was noted that the combination was markedly lethal Researchers from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in in primary CD138-positive, but not in CD138-negative, Melbourne, Australia, investigated the safety and efficacy bone marrow cells taken from patients with multiple of a combination of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib myeloma. Romidepsin, an HDAC inhibitor, was demon- and the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor romidep- strated to induce apoptosis in a myeloma cell line and pri- sin (depsipeptide) in patients with relapsed or refractory mary patient myeloma cells by Khan and coworkers.5 In multiple myeloma.1 Bortezomib is currently approved a phase II trial, romidepsin administered as a single agent by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in for treatment of aggressively relapsed multiple myeloma combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of stabilized tumor masses in 9 of 12 patients after the first relapsed multiple myeloma, based on results from the 4-week treatment cycle.6 Furthermore, Sutheesophon Assessment of Proteasome Inhibition for Extending and colleagues demonstrated that romidepsin-induced Remissions (APEX) trial.2 Bortezomib acts by directly apoptosis and mitochondrial translocation of Bax were targeting myeloma cells and their interaction with the markedly enhanced by bortezomib in human myeloid bone marrow microenvironment. Yu and colleagues leukemic cell lines.7 reported synergistic activity between bortezomib and Based on these findings, the Australian researchers HDAC inhibitors, which induced apoptosis in BCR/ABL- initiated a phase I/II open-label, single-center, single- Included in Index Medicus/PubMed/Medline Disclaimer Funding for this Abstracts Review has been provided through an educational grant from Gloucester Pharmaceuticals. Support of this mono- graph does not imply the supporter’s agreement with the views expressed herein. Every effort has been made to ensure that drug usage and other information are presented accurately; however, the ultimate responsibility rests with the prescribing physician. Millennium Medical Publishing, Inc., the supporters, and the participants shall not be held responsible for errors or for any consequences arising from the use of information contained herein. Readers are strongly urged to consult any relevant primary literature. No claims or endorsements are made for any drug or compound at present under clinical investigation. ©2008 Millennium Medical Publishing, Inc. 611 Broadway, Suite 310, New York, NY 10012. Printed in the USA. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction, in whole or in part, in any form. 2 Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology Volume 6, Issue 4, Supplement 8 April 2008 H isto n e D e ac e T y l as e I n hibito r S I n th e T r e atm e n T O f M u lti p l e M y e l oma arm, dose-escalation trial of bortezomib, dexametha- 1168 Phase I Trial of Suberoylanilide sone, and romidepsin in patients with relapsed or refrac- Hydroxamic Acid + Bortezomib in tory multiple myeloma; early results were presented at Relapsed Multiple Myeloma Patients8 the 2007 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Eight patients who had previously A Badros, S Philip, R Niesvizky, O Goloubeva, received a median of two therapies—either bortezomib C Harris, J Zweibel, J Wright, A Burger, S Grant, (n=1), vincristine-containing therapy (n=3), or thalido- M R Baer, M J Egorin mide (n=4)—received bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 and dexamethasone 20 mg on days 1, 2, 4, The HDAC inhibitor vorinostat is indicated for the treat- 5, 8, 9, 11, and 12. Administration of romidepsin was ment of cutaneous manifestations of T-cell lymphoma in commenced at 8 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1, 8, and patients with progressive, persistent, or recurrent disease 15 of a 28-day cycle, and involved an initial accelerated on or following two systemic therapies. Vorinostat, like dose-escalation phase with intrapatient dose escalation. other HDAC inhibitors, achieves its therapeutic effect Seven patients were evaluable at the time of presenta- by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The effect tion for response and toxicity. The researchers assessed of vorinostat on cell lines and patient cells from B-cell response according to M-protein response criteria, with malignancies, including multiple myeloma, was first complete responses (CRs) documented by EBMT (Euro- demonstrated by Mitsiades and associates,9 who showed pean Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation) that vorinostat induced apoptosis in all tumor cells tested. criteria. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were defined as In addition, vorinostat sensitized MM.1S cells to death platelets below 25 3 109/L; grade 4 neutropenia despite receptor–mediated apoptosis and inhibited the secretion support granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; grade 3 of interleukin 6 (IL-6) by bone marrow stromal cells or 4 nausea, emesis, or diarrhea despite treatment; any induced by binding of multiple myeloma cells, suggest- other grade 3 or 4 nonhematologic toxicity; or a greater ing that it can overcome cell adhesion–mediated drug than 4-week suspension of treatment due to toxicity. No resistance. Pei and colleagues built upon this research DLTs were observed in patients who received romidepsin by combining bortezomib and vorinostat preclinically.4 doses of 8 mg (n=1) or 10 mg (n=3). At doses of 12 mg, Badros and coworkers further noted that vorinostat affects three episodes of grade 4 thrombocytopenia and one cell growth by modifying the transcription of cellular pro- episode of febrile neutropenia occurred. The researchers teins such as histones, transcription factors, E3 ubiquitin noted that 2 of the patients with grade 4 thrombocyto- ligases, and stress response proteins such as heat-shock penia had platelet counts below 100 3 109/L prior to protein 90 (HSP90).8 This phase I study was designed to commencing the combination (the minimum require- determine the maximum tolerated dose, pharmacokinet- ment at inclusion was 50 3 109/L). Additional drug- ics, pharmacodynamics, and level of activity of vorinostat related toxicities observed were grade 3 fatigue (n=1), plus bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory neutropenia (n=1), and sepsis (n=1) and grade 2 fatigue multiple myeloma. (n=1), peripheral neuropathy (n=2), nausea (n=1), and At the time of the ASH annual meeting, 21 heavily diarrhea (n=1). Two patients required a bortezomib dose pretreated patients (median age, 55 years; range, 38–79) reduction because of peripheral neuropathy (coadminis- had been treated. The median time from diagnosis of mul- tered with 12 mg/m2 romidepsin). tiple myeloma to entry on the study was 5.3 years (range, As of August 2007 the median number of cycles 1.5–15 years). Patients had received a median of six prior delivered was three and a total of 3 patients had pro- regimens (range, 3–10), including tandem stem cell gressed—2 patients after cycle 1 and 1 patient after cycle transplantations (n=11), single stem cell transplantations 4. One immunofixation-negative CR, 3 partial responses (n=8), thalidomide (n=21), and lenalidomide (n=14). (PRs), and 1 minor response were observed, for an Additionally, 19 patients had received a median of two overall response rate of 71%. Five of 8 patients remain prior bortezomib-based regimens (range, 1–5); of these on the combination therapy. The researchers concluded patients, 14 progressed on their last bortezomib-based that these early findings demonstrate efficacy for this therapy. Overall, 19 patients’ disease progressed on their HDAC inhibitor/proteasome inhibitor combination in most recent therapy, with a median of 20 days (range, patients with multiple myeloma, with a promising res- 15–39 days) between their last therapy and study entry. ponse rate, some durable responses, and acceptable toxic- Only 2 patients were in first relapse on thalidomide main- ity. Patient accrual continues at the doses of bortezomib tenance. The patients’ isotypes included IgG (n=10), IgA 1.3 mg/m2, dexamethasone 20 mg, and romidepsin (n=5), light chain (n=4), and nonsecretory (n=2). Twelve 10 mg/m2; however, future modifications to the schedul- patients exhibited complex karyotypes. ing of the regimen are planned in order to address dose- The study design included five 3-patient cohorts limiting transient thrombocytopenia. administered bortezomib and vorinostat at escalating dose Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology Volume 6, Issue 4, Supplement 8 April 2008 3 AB st r acts r e vi e w levels (Table 1).