According to a story from ajmc.com, a recent study found that a new combination treatment for systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is more effective than the current standard treatment. The combination involves two drugs: the standard treatment, called CyBorD, and another drug called daratumumab. These two drugs combined resulted in more quick and sustained benefit for patients living with AL amyloidosis. CyBorD itself is a combination of three different medications: cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone.
About Amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases which are characterized by the build up amyloid fibrils in body tissue. Amyloid fibrils are a type of abnormal protein. As there are several different types of amyloidosis, the cause can vary. Some forms are acquired while others are linked to genetic factors. The most common form is amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Symptoms of the disease include swelling, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue, weight loss, easy bruising and bleeding, stroke, lung problems, enlarged liver, and changes in skin color. Treatment approaches for amyloidosis includes chemotherapy and stem cell transplant; other options vary depending on the type of amyloidosis. Prognosis varies depending on the type; AL amyloidosis has a median survival of one or two years without treatment. To learn more about amyloidosis, click here.
About the Study
The study involved data from 388 patients living with AL amyloidosis. 195 received the new combination and 193 received the standard CyBorD treatment. 53 percent of patients that tried the new combination saw a complete response compared to just 18 percent on the old standard treatment. Meanwhile, the rate of very good partial response was 79 percent versus 49 percent, respectively. Patients also achieved a complete response at a median time of 60 days compared to 85 days.
Patients who received CyBorD plus daratumumab were at a slightly higher risk of adverse events, such as pneumonia, lymphopenia, congestive cardiac failure, and diarrhea; however, the difference was modest compared to the enhanced benefit seen in this patient group.
Overall, the study findings clearly demonstrated that CyBorD plus daratumumab was more effective than CyBorD on its own. This implies that the combination could eventually become a new treatment standard for the disease.
Learn more about this research here.
