Mundipharma Medical Co. Ltd.

Two high-dose chemotherapy regimens (melphalan alone versus the combination of melphalan and bendamustine) used for conditioning treatment before autologous stem cell transplantation will be compared in a 1:1 randomization in myeloma patients. The experimental arm is the bendamustine and melphalan (BenMel) combined regimen. The melphalan alone (Mel) regimen is the control (standard) treatment. Despite remarkable progress using novel agents both for induction before ASCT as well for maintenance after ASCT, definite cure in myeloma patients remains exceptional due to residual disease escaping intensive treatment. The aim of the study is to show an improvement of the rate of complete Remission 60 days after ASCT in myeloma patients from 50% with melphalan alone to 65% with the combination of bendamustine and melphalan.

Almost all patients with multiple myeloma who survive initial treatment will eventually relapse and require further therapy.
Background: Treatment with lenalidomide and dexamethasone has proven efficacy in two large randomized trials (MM-009 and MM-010) leading to a time to progression (TTP) of 17.1 months for patients with only one prior therapy and a TTP of 10.6 months for 2 and more prior therapies, respectively [1-3]. Continuous treatment with lenalidomide and dexamethasone until disease progression is therefore considered a standard therapy for second line treatment in multiple myeloma patients. However, only a relatively low rate of high quality response (CR, complete response and VGPR, very good partial response) is achieved. High quality responses are associated with with improved progression-free survival and overall survival [4].
Trial: The aim of this trial is to improve high quality response rates for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the 2nd line treatment. This aim shall be achieved by the addition a third anti-myeloma drug (bendamustine) to the established backbone of lenalidomide/ dexamethasone.
Treatment regimen:
Induction Treatment Phase: Cycles 1-6 Bendamustine 75mg/m2/d day 1 and 2, lenalidomide 25mg/d 1-21, dexamethasone 40mg / 20mg (for patients > 75years) d 1, 8, 15, 22.
Maintenance Treatment Phase: Cycles 7-18 lenalidomide 25mg/d 1-21, dexamethasone 40mg / 20mg (for patients > 75 years) d 1, 8, 15, 22.
Due to hematoxicity of bendamustine and lenalidomide, administration of pegfilgrastim is mandatory in the induction treatment phase (BRd-regimen)for all patients experiencing severe neutropenia.
The aim of this study is to achieve high quality response rates (CR, VGPR) of ≥ 40%. If this aim is achieved, the treatment of bendamustine in combination with the established lenalidomide/ dexamethasone regimen will be considered promising.
Besides efficacy, the safety of this three-drug regimen is evaluated in this trial.

To compare the effectiveness of slow release oral morphine treatment in patients that previously have been treated with methadone