Dr. Stewart on the Safety Profile of Carfilzomib in Multiple Myeloma Patients

A. Keith Stewart, MB ChB, from the Mayo Clinic, discusses the safety profile of carfilzomib (Kyprolis) when used in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

In other studies, carfilzomib has been linked to heart-related adverse events, including swelling, shortness of breath, and cardiac failure, according to Stewart. However, in the phase III ASPIRE trial, which studied carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, it was shown that the addition of the carfilzomib did not significantly change the frequency or severity of adverse events.

With carfilzomib, the number of adverse events was slightly higher, but there was only a modest increase in cardiac failure. Also, serious events did not increase significantly in the trial.