Combination Therapy with Lenalidomide, Bortezomib, Liposomal Doxorubicin and Dexamethasone (LBlipDD) May Overcome Resistance to Prior Treatment with Doxorubicin, Lenalidomide, and Bortezomib in High-Risk Multiple Myeloma (MM).

Introduction: Lenalidomide (Revlimid®) plus dexamethasone therapy and single-agent bortezomib therapy are approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) patients. A recent phase II trial has shown activity of lenalidomide/bortezomib/dexamethasone in patients with relapsed/refractory MM (Richardson, IMW 2007). Here, we present a case report on the efficacy of combination therapy with lenalidomide, bortezomib, liposomal doxorubicin, and dexamethasone in a patient who was refractory to prior treatments with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and doxorubicin.

Methods and Results: A male patient (58 years) presented with IgG-lambda MM in June 2006. Laboratory tests at diagnosis showed total protein of 123g/L (normal value, 66–87 g/L) and a serum IgG of 87.3g/l (normal value, 7–16 g/L). The patient had t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation and a del13q14, and bone marrow aspirate showed >90% plasma cells. From July 2006 to March 2007, the patient received 3 different chemotherapy treatment regimens (VAD: vincristine, Adriamycin^® [doxorubicin], dexamethasone; VDD: Velcade® [bortezomib], doxorubicin, dexamethasone; and LD: lenalidomide, dexamethasone). He showed primary resistance to VAD treatment and developed resistance after 3 and 5 cycles of VDD and LD, respectively. At that point, the patient’s free light chain (fLCh) concentration was 2,320 mg/L (normal value, 5.7–26.3 mg/L). We changed the patient’s treatment regimen to the 4-fold combination of lenalidomide plus bortezomib plus liposomal doxorubicin (lipD) plus dexamethasone (LBlipDD), (lenalidomide 25 mg day 1–21, bortezomib 1mg/m² day 1+4+8+11, lipD 50 mg/m² day 4, dexamethasone 40 mg day 1+2+4+5+8+9+11+12; q28 days). The patient received 3 cycles of LBlipDD from May 2007 to July 2007. This treatment combination was well tolerated with no WHO grade 3 or 4 adverse events. The patient was reassessed after 3 treatment cycles. FISH showed a complete eradication of the former cytogenetic abnormalities, bone marrow aspirate showed <5% plasma cells and serum analysis demonstrated a normalized serum IgG value, and a decrease in the fLCh from 2,320 to 173 mg/L. The patient is for the first time transfusion independent and in very good clinical condition. High-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell support is currently planned.

Conclusion: Treatment with LBlipDD leads to a good remission in a VAD-, VDD- and LD-resistant patient. The present observation suggests that the use of 4-fold combination of lenalidomide, bortezomib, liposomal doxorubicin, and dexamethasone can be effective in high-risk MM patients and warrants further investigation.