Cell Therapeutics Inc (CTI), the marketer of Trisenox (arsenic trioxide) injection announced that Trisenox has produced consistently high response rates in multiple myeloma patients who failed not only chemotherapy but also investigational compounds. Preliminary data from five independent clinical studies and one case study, across several Trisenox containing regimens, in a total of 86 chemotherapy resistant and/or advanced multiple myeloma patients showed that Trisenox produced objective responses in 31 of the 78 evaluable patients (40 percent). In a study reported by Mohamad Hussein, Multiple Myeloma Program Director at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center that combined Trisenox with vitamin C and dexamethasone, two of the seven patients who responded had a complete response or a near complete response.

Most patients had failed four or more prior chemotherapy regimens and investigational agents. The data were presented in a satellite symposium sponsored by CTI and in presentations at the 9th International Workshop on Multiple Myeloma.

Myeloma is a disease of the plasma cells, which become malignant and grow continuously, especially in the bone marrow, destroying normal blood tissue and crowding out normal blood cell production. Patients who fail treatment with first line chemotherapy often require treatment with higher doses of chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant (SCT). The prognosis for patients who fail SCT is poor, often requiring treatment with investigational agents.