Novel generation of agents with proven clinical activity in multiple myeloma

The activity observed with proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs (IMIDs) in multiple myeloma (MM) has prompted the development of second- and third-generation agents with similar, but not exactly the same, mechanisms of action as their predecessors. This review summarizes the mechanism of action and the available data on the clinical activity of novel proteasome inhibitors (carfilzomib, oprozomib, ixazomib, and marizomib) and novel IMIDs (pomalidomide), stressing the similarities and differences with bortezomib, and with thalidomide and lenalidomide, respectively. In summary, these novel agents have shown clinical activity as single agents and in combination with dexamethasone, with similar or even higher efficacy than their parental drugs; moreover, they may even overcome resistance, indicating that there are some differences in their mechanisms of action and resistance. These data indicate that both the inhibition of the proteasome and the modulation of the immune system are good strategies to target MM tumor cells and this, along with the absence of complete cross-resistance observed among these drugs, open new avenues to optimize their use through the most appropriate sequencing and combinations.