ABSTRACT
This phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation study investigated the tolerated dose (recommended dose), safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of pomalidomide alone or pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone in Japanese patients with refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. Twelve patients were enrolled. Patients received pomalidomide 2 mg (Cohort 1) or 4 mg (Cohort 2) orally on day 1 and days 3-21 of a 28-day cycle. The tolerated dose of pomalidomide was determined to be 4 mg given on days 1-21 of a 28-day cycle. Efficacy outcomes with pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone were consistent with those of previous studies. Responses (partial response or better) were achieved by three patients (25%; 1 [17%] in Cohort 1 and 2 [33%] in Cohort 2), and the median time to response was 6.4 months overall (9.0 months for Cohort 1 and 4.2 months for Cohort 2). The median progression-free survival was 5.5 months overall (5.1 months for Cohort 1 and not reached for Cohort 2). The most frequently occurring grade ≥3 adverse events were neutropenia (67%), anemia (25%), lymphopenia (25%), and pneumonia (25%), consistent with previous studies of pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone in refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. Further investigation of pomalidomide is recommended for Japanese patients with refractory or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01568294).
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Multiple Myeloma/drug therapy , Thalidomide/analogs & derivatives , Aged , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacokinetics , Asian People , Dexamethasone/administration & dosage , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Humans , Japan , Male , Maximum Tolerated Dose , Middle Aged , Multiple Myeloma/mortality , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/mortality , Salvage Therapy , Thalidomide/administration & dosage , Thalidomide/adverse effects , Thalidomide/pharmacokineticsABSTRACT
Sterically stabilized chitin nanowhiskers (ChNWs) were prepared by surface grafting monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) via reductive amination of primary amino groups on ChNWs and terminal aldehydes on mPEG. The amount of grafted mPEG was determined to be 0.2-0.3 g/g ChNWs, by conductometric titration, from the decrease in amino groups after grafting. ChNWs with controlled amounts of surface amino groups were obtained by deacetylation; however, this did not cause a drastic change in the amount of grafted mPEG. Grafting was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; however, X-ray diffractometry indicated no sign of mPEG. Thermogravimetry indicated a higher amount of mPEG than that from titration, suggesting an overestimation due to the facilitated combustion of grafted samples. In contrast to ungrafted samples, all grafted samples were stable in the presence of electrolytes. However, liquid-crystalline phase separation of grafted ChNWs was not observed, possibly owing to the high viscosity of the concentrated sample.