Background Selinexor with dexamethasone has demonstrated activity in patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma (MM). In a phase 1b/2 study, the combination of oral selinexor with the proteasome inhibitor (PI) bortezomib, and dexamethasone (SVd) induced high response rates with low rates of peripheral neuropathy, the main dose-limiting toxicity of bortezomib. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the clinical benefit of weekly SVd versus standard bortezomib and dexamethasone (Vd) in patients with previously treated MM.Methods This phase 3, randomised, open label trial was conducted at 123 sites in 21 countries.Patients who were previously treated with one to three lines of therapy, including PIs were randomised (1:1) to selinexor (100 mg once-weekly) plus bortezomib (1•3 mg/m 2 once-weekly) and dexamethasone (20 mg twice-weekly) [SVd] or bortezomib (1•3 mg/m 2 twice-weekly) and dexamethasone (20 mg 4 times per week) [Vd]. Randomisation was done using interactive response technology and stratified by previous PI therapy, lines of treatment, and MM stage. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) in the intention-to-treat population.Patients who received at least one dose of study treatment were included in the safety population. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03110562.

Conflicting data are available about iron metabolism in thalassemia minors. As iron deficiency prevails largely in India, a study of 150 people was conducted to assess the iron level of b thalassemia minor. The study population comprises of 59 males and 91 female who either attended outdoor services and with diagnosed thalassemia minor by hemoglobin high performance liquid chromatography or were the parents (diagnosed thalassemia minor) of b Thalassemia patients visiting daycare services for transfusion. 29.67% females and 3.38% males are found to be iron deficient. Thus we can conclude that iron deficiency is one of the common co-existing conditions in b thalassemia minors.Keywords Iron deficiency anaemia Á b thalassemia minor Á Serum ferritin Á HPLC

8501 Background: Selinexor is an oral, selective inhibitor of XPO1-mediated nuclear export, leading to the reactivation of tumor suppressor proteins. In a phase 1b/2 study, the combination of once weekly (QW) selinexor with bortezomib and dexamethasone (SVd) was well tolerated with anti-MM activity in patients (pts) with PI-sensitive and PI-refractory disease. While twice weekly (BIW) bortezomib in combination therapy is efficacious, prolonged use is limited due to peripheral neuropathy (PN, 50-60%). The BOSTON study was designed to determine if SVd improves progression free survival (PFS), overall response rates (ORR) and reduces the rate of PN vs Vd. Methods: BOSTON is a global, phase 3, randomized study of QW SVd vs BIW Vd after 1-3 prior anti-MM regimens. The primary endpoint is PFS. Secondary endpoints include ORR, overall survival (OS) and PN (rates and EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 outcomes). Randomization is stratified by treatment with prior PI therapies, number of prior anti-MM regimens (1 vs > 1), and Revised International Staging System (R-ISS; Stage III vs I or II). Following confirmation of progressive disease, pts on Vd could cross over to either: 1) SVd for pts able to tolerate continued bortezomib or 2) selinexor and dexamethasone for pts with bortezomib intolerance. Results:402 pts were enrolled; 195 and 207 to SVd and Vd, respectively. Median age was 67 (range: 38-90). Most (59.6%) pts were > 65 years and 57.1% were male. R-ISS stage at the time of MM diagnosis was III for 18.5% of pts. Baseline characteristics were balanced across the 2 arms. SVd significantly prolonged PFS vs Vd (median 13.93 vs 9.46 months, HR = 0.70, P = 0.0066). SVd was associated with a significantly higher ORR (76.4% vs 62.3%, P = 0.0012). Median OS was not reached on SVd vs 25 months on Vd (P = 0.28). Most frequent treatment-related adverse events (grade ≥3) for SVd vs Vd were thrombocytopenia (35.9% vs 15.2%), fatigue (11.3% vs 0.5%) and nausea (7.7% vs 0%). Clinically important differences were reported on the motor, autonomic and sensory scales on CIPN20. PN rates (grade ≥2) were significantly lower with SVd vs Vd (21.0% vs 34.3%, P = 0.0013). Conclusions: BOSTON is the first phase 3 study to evaluate the clinical benefit of SVd for relapsed/refractory MM. The study met the primary endpoint: once weekly SVd significantly improved PFS and ORR compared to twice weekly Vd. Rates of PN were significantly reduced with numerically fewer deaths on SVd vs Vd. Full dataset will be presented at the meeting. Clinical trial information: NCT03110562 .

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Elderly and frail patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are more vulnerable to the toxicity of combination therapies, often resulting in treatment modifications and suboptimal outcomes. The phase 3 BOSTON study showed that once‐weekly selinexor and bortezomib with low‐dose dexamethasone (XVd) improved PFS and ORR compared with standard twice‐weekly bortezomib and moderate‐dose dexamethasone (Vd) in patients with previously treated MM. This is a retrospective subgroup analysis of the multicenter, prospective, randomized BOSTON trial. Post hoc analyses were performed to compare XVd versus Vd safety and efficacy according to age and frailty status (<65 and ≥65 years, nonfrail and frail). Patients ≥65 years with XVd had higher ORR (OR 1.77, p = .024), ≥VGPR (OR, 1.68, p = .027), PFS (HR 0.55, p = .002), and improved OS (HR 0.63, p = .030), compared with Vd. In frail patients, XVd was associated with a trend towards better PFS (HR 0.69, p = .08) and OS (HR 0.62, p = .062). Significant improvements were also observed in patients <65 (ORR and TTNT) and nonfrail patients (PFS, ORR, ≥VGPR, and TTNT). Patients treated with XVd had a lower incidence of grade ≥ 2 peripheral neuropathy in ≥65 year‐old (22% vs. 37%; p = .0060) and frail patients (15% vs. 44%; p = .0002). Grade ≥3 TEAEs were not observed more often in older compared to younger patients, nor in frail compared to nonfrail patients. XVd is safe and effective in patients <65 and ≥65 and in nonfrail and frail patients with previously treated MM.

Therapeutic regimens for previously treated multiple myeloma (MM) may not provide prolonged disease control and are often complicated by significant adverse events, including peripheral neuropathy. In patients with previously treated MM in the Phase 3 BOSTON study, once weekly selinexor, once weekly bortezomib, and 40 mg dexamethasone (XVd) demonstrated a significantly longer median progression-free survival (PFS), higher response rates, deeper responses, a trend to improved survival, and reduced incidence and severity of bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy when compared with standard twice weekly bortezomib and 80 mg dexamethasone (Vd). The pre-specified analyses described here evaluated the influence of the number of prior lines of therapy, prior treatment with lenalidomide, prior proteasome inhibitor (PI) therapy, prior immunomodulatory drug therapy, and prior autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) on the efficacy and safety of XVd compared with Vd. In this 1:1 randomized study, enrolled patients were assigned to receive once weekly oral selinexor (100 mg) with once weekly subcutaneous bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2) and 40 mg per week dexamethasone (XVd) versus standard twice weekly bortezomib and 80 mg per week dexamethasone (Vd). XVd significantly improved PFS, overall response rate, time-to-next-treatment, and showed reduced all grade and grade ≥ 2 peripheral neuropathy compared with Vd regardless of prior treatments, but the benefits of XVd over Vd were more pronounced in patients treated earlier in their disease course who had either received only one prior therapy, had never been treated with a PI, or had prior ASCT. Treatment with XVd improved outcomes as compared to Vd regardless of prior therapies as well as manageable and generally reversible adverse events. XVd was associated with clinical benefit and reduced peripheral neuropathy compared to standard Vd in previously treated MM. These results suggest that the once weekly XVd regimen may be optimally administered to patients earlier in their course of disease, as their first bortezomib-containing regimen, and in those relapsing after ASCT.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03110562). Registered 12 April 2017. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03110562.

In the phase 3 BOSTON study, patients with multiple myeloma (MM) after 1-3 prior regimens were randomized to once-weekly selinexor (an oral inhibitor of exportin 1 [XPO1]) plus bortezomib-dexamethasone (XVd) or twice-weekly bortezomibdexamethasone (Vd). Compared with Vd, XVd was associated with significant improvements in median progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and lower rates of peripheral neuropathy, with trends in overall survival (OS) favoring XVd. In BOSTON, 141 (35.1%) patients had MM with high-risk (presence of del[17p], t[4;14], t[14;16], or ≥4 copies of amp1q21) cytogenetics (XVd, n = 70; Vd, n = 71), and 261 (64.9%) exhibited standard-risk cytogenetics (XVd, n = 125; Vd, n = 136).Among patients with high-risk MM, median PFS was 12.91 months for XVd and 8.61 months for Vd (HR, 0.73 [95% CI, (0.4673, 1.1406)], p = 0.082), and ORRs were 78.6% and 57.7%, respectively (OR 2.68; p = 0.004). In the standard-risk subgroup, median PFS was 16.62 months for XVd and 9.46 months for Vd (HR 0.61; p = 0.004), and ORRs were 75.2% and 64.7%, respectively (OR 1.65; p = 0.033). The safety profiles of XVd and Vd in both subgroups were consistent with the overall population. These data suggest that selinexor can confer benefits to patients with MM regardless of cytogenetic risk. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03110562.

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