Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc from its STORM study evaluating the activity of the drug selinexor (KPT-330) in multiple myeloma. This is an oral drug that can be particularly helpful for patients who have become refractory to existing myeloma treatments.

The Phase 2b study is evaluating selinexor in combination with dexamethasone for heavily pre-treated myeloma patients having had at least two proteasome inhibitors (like bortezomib or carfilzomib) and two immunomodulatory drugs (like lenalidomimde and pomalidomide). It can also include patients who have additionally become refractory to daratumumab or isatuximab.

Keith Stewart, MB. ChB., Anna Maria and Vasek Polack Professor of Cancer Research at the Mayo Clinic and lead investigator of the STORM study, said,

"Although treatment of multiple myeloma has improved dramatically, eventually many patients will develop refractory disease, no longer responding to any of the immunomodulatory agents and proteasome inhibitors commonly used (quad-refractory).  These patients will also eventually progress on anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, which we refer to as penta-refractory disease. These are clearly the patients with the highest unmet need, as they have no remaining viable treatment options. The STORM data are compelling because they demonstrate that oral selinexor achieves a 20.8% response rate in the quad-refractory group, similar to recently reported intravenous anti-CD38 therapy results in the same patient population. Selinexor also achieves an equally notable 20.0% response rate in the penta-refractory group, with the significant advantage of oral administration.  We are currently unaware of any other therapy, oral or intravenous, reporting such activity in these difficult-to-treat patients who have exhausted all available therapies."

In addition to the STORM study, Karyopharm initiated the Phase 1b/2 STOMP (Selinexor and Backbone Treatments of Multiple Myeloma Patients) study to evaluate selinexor in combination with existing therapies across the broader population in myeloma. In the arm evaluating the combination of selinexor, bortezomib and dexamethasone, dose escalation has been completed and the recommended dose has been determined, providing a basis for the randomized Phase 3 "BOSTON" study described below.

Sagar Lonial, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine and Chief Medical Officer, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, commented,

"Myeloma continues to be an incurable blood cancer in most patients and our main goal in treating refractory disease is to induce responses and maintain them as long as possible. In addition to these new data with oral selinexor and low-dose dexamethasone, the emerging clinical data from selinexor in combination with bortezomib, including in proteasome-inhibitor refractory disease, suggests a synergistic effect and favorable safety profile. These data are quite exciting and will form the basis for future studies."

Clinical Trial Using Selinexor

For more information on this trial plus contact information, click on the Spark Cures link in the box below:

SparkCures Clinical Trial: Selinexor