Laboratory and clinical data demonstate carfilzomib (PR-171), a proteasome inhibitor developed by Proteolix, Inc., is highly active against myeloma cells and shows promise in treating patients with multiple myeloma, including those for whom other treatments have failed.

The MMRC, in collaboration with Proteolix Inc., is facilitating a Phase II clinical to study carfilzomib (PR-171) in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. The trial will evaluate the overall response rate (ORR) for two cycles of carfilzomib in patients with multiple myeloma who have previously received specific FDA-approved therapies, have relapsed after two or more of such therapies, and are refractory to the most recently received therapy. Secondary objectives of this study include safety and tolerability, clinical benefit response (CBR), time to progression (TTP), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival, and best ORR throughout the study. Patients enrolled in the trial will receive carfilzomib twice weekly for three weeks every 28 days.

The nine MMRC Member Institutions that will enroll patients in the trials are:

• Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center
• City of Hope
• Emory University
• H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
• Mayo Clinic
• Princess Margaret/University Health Network
• Saint Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center
• University of Michigan
• Washington University

For more information about this clinical trial, contact Sandra Wear, RN, at wears@themmrc.org.