Pomalidomide: A Review in Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma

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Funding: The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

Conflicts of interest: Sheridan Hoy is a salaried employee of Adis/Springer, is responsible for the article content and declares no relevant conflicts of interest.

Additional information about this Adis Drug Review can be found here.

Abstract

Pomalidomide (Imnovid®; Pomalyst®), an analogue of thalidomide, is an immunomodulatory agent, with several mechanisms of action (both direct and indirect) thought to be involved in its anti-myeloma activity. Oral pomalidomide is available in several countries for use in combination with low-dose dexamethasone in adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. In multinational, phase II or III studies in patients with refractory, or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who had received ≥ 2 prior treatment regimens (including ≥ 2 cycles of both lenalidomide and bortezomib), pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone was associated with prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival and an improved overall response rate. Pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone had a manageable tolerability profile, with neutropenia, infections, anaemia and thrombocytopenia being the most frequently reported grade 3 or 4 treatment-emergent adverse events. In conclusion, pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone extends the treatment options available for the management of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma in a patient population that has very limited treatment options. Access to the full article can be found here.

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