biological studies on Multiple Myeloma

The results from these in vitro experiments on multiple myeloma cell lines and anti-angiogenesis assays and from earlier animal studies on Atiprimod’s anti-osteoclastic activity taken together form the basis for evaluating Atiprimod in multiple myeloma and bone destruction due to cancer. Comparison of the various effects elicited by Atiprimod with those associated with disease activity and disease stage of multiple myeloma indicate that this drug has a unique therapeutic potential as a treatment for this disease, as it simultaneously lowers serum IL-6 and VEGF, two growth factors generally recognized to play the major role in the pathophysiology of multiple myeloma, in addition to lowering TNF-a, sIL-2r and IL-1 levels, three other growth factors associated with the disease. An additional characteristic of Atiprimod that argues strongly for its potential role in treating multiple myeloma is the effect it has on inhibiting activated-osteoclast driven bone resorption, a key debilitating factor associated with the pathology of multiple myeloma. This last characteristic may be important to its potential use in treating other osteolytic bone diseases such as metastatic breast and prostrate cancer.