Novel drug regimen can improve stem cell transplantation outcomes

Bortezomib (Velcade) reduces GVHD, boosts survival

Adding bortezomib (Velcade) to standard preventive therapy for graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) results in improved outcomes for patients receiving stem cell transplants from mismatched and unrelated donors, according to researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

In a new phase 2 trial, patients treated with bortezomib had lower rates of severe acute GVHD and treatment-related mortality, and experienced better one-year overall survival than has been seen historically with such patients receiving standard preventive therapy, the investigators reported at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting.

"This regimen appears to improve not just GVHD prevention but more importantly, overall and relapse-free survival for myeloablative transplant recipients lacking matched sibling donors," said John Koreth, MBBS, DPhil, of Dana-Farber, the lead author and study PI. The senior author is Edwin P. Alyea, III, MD, also of Dana-Farber.