Tandem Auto Transplantation in Myeloma Patients With <12 Months of Prior Treatment

Tandem Autotransplantation for Multiple Myeloma in Participants With Less Than 12 Months of Preceding Therapy, Incorporating Velcade (Bortezomib) With the Transplant Chemotherapy and During Maintenance

This study is designed to decrease toxicity associated with prior tandem transplant protocols by reducing the intensity of induction, consolidation and maintenance therapy, while increasing event-free survival by adding bortezomib (Velcade®), thalidomide, gemcitabine and carmustine to the transplant regimens to down-regulate the rescue of myeloma cells by the micro-environment and to prevent DNA repair post high-dose alkylating agent therapy. By reducing drug resistance, it is hoped that 3-year event-free survival will be increased significantly when compared to Total Therapy II. Additionally, participants will have the option of providing biospecimens for a sub-study evaluating gene expression profiling at specific timepoints to better understand drug-resistance in myeloma, and to determine whether there are genes or gene products in the resistant population that can be targeted by novel therapies.

This study is targeted towards patients who have been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, POEMS(Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes), or myeloma plus amyloidosis and have had no more than 12 months of prior treatment. Furthermore, participants cannot have had a prior autologous or allogeneic transplant. The study schema consists of one round of induction chemotherapy, two transplants, one round of consolidation chemotherapy, and two years of maintenance treatment. This study design differs from its historical predecessors in the following manner:

• In contrast to Total Therapy II and III, which only allow enrollment of patients with one cycle or one month of treatment prior to enrollment, the proposed study allows enrollment of participants with up to 12 months of prior treatment.
• Induction therapy has been reduced to a single cycle.
• Bortezomib and thalidomide have been added to the transplant regimen.
• Carmustine is added to the second transplant.
• Gemcitabine is added to the second transplant regimen.
• Consolidation treatment has been reduced to a single cycle.
• The first year of maintenance consists of 12 28-day cycles of bortezomib,dexamethasone, and either thalidomide, lenalidomide, or cyclophoshamide. The second year of maintenance therapy consists of lenalidomide and dexamethasone.
• The novel agents thalidomide and bortezomib are not introduced upfront, but only with transplantation, consolidation, and maintenance.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Participants must have had a diagnosis of symptomatic MM, MM + amyloidosis, or POEMS (osteosclerotic myeloma: Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal protein, Skin changes) requiring treatment. Participants with a previous history of smoldering myeloma will be eligible if there is evidence of progressive disease requiring chemotherapy. Note that study participants do not need to have active disease at the time of study entry, as participants may have received up to 12 months of prior chemotherapy, which might have induced a response.
2. Protein criteria must be present (quantifiable M-component of IgG, IgA, IgD, or IgE and/or urinary kappa or lambda light chain, Bence-Jones protein, or Free Kappa Light Chain or Free Lambda Light Chain) in order to evaluate response. Non-secretory participants are eligible provided the participant has > 20% plasmacytosis OR multiple (>3) focal plasmacytomas or focal lesions on MRI.
3. Participants must have received no more than 12 months of prior chemotherapy for this disease. Participants may have received prior radiotherapy provided approval has been obtained from the PI.
4. Participants must not have had a prior transplant.
5. Participants must be 18-80 years of age at the time of study entry.
6. Ejection fraction by ECHO or MUGA of ≥ 40% performed.
7. Participants must have adequate pulmonary function studies, > 50% of predicted on mechanical aspects (FEV1, FVC) and diffusion capacity (DLCO) > 50% of predicted (adjusted for hemoglobin). If the participant is unable to complete pulmonary function tests due to disease related pain or condition, a participant may still be enrolled provided that the PI or enrolling investigator documents that the participant is a transplant candidate.
8. Participants must have a creatinine < 3 mg/dl and a calculated creatinine clearance >30mL/min. The Cockroft-Gault equation may be used to obtain calculated creatinine clearance.
9. Participants must have a performance status of 0-2 based on ECOG criteria. Participants with a poor performance status (3-4)based solely on bone pain will be eligible, provided there is documentation to verify this.
10. Participants must sign the most current IRB-approved study ICF (Informed Consent Form).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Prior autologous or allogeneic transplant.
2. Platelet count < 30 x 109/L, unless myeloma-related. If MM-related, the enrolling investigator must document this.
3. > grade 3 neuropathy.
4. Known hypersensitivity to bortezomib, boron, or mannitol.
5. Uncontrolled diabetes.
6. Recent (< 6 months) myocardial infarction, unstable angina, difficult to control congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, or difficult to control cardiac arrhythmias.
7. Participants must not have light chain deposition disease-related renal failure or creatinine >3 mg/dl.
8. Participants must not have a concurrent malignancy unless it can be adequately treated by surgical, non-chemotherapeutic intervention. Participants may have a history of prior malignancy, provided that he/she has not had any treatment within 365 days of study entry AND that life expectancy exceeds 5 years at the time of study entry.
9. Participants must not have life-threatening co-morbidities.
10. Women of child-bearing potential must have a documented negative pregnancy test documented within one week of study entry. Women and men of reproductive potential may not participate unless they have agreed, by signing the study ICF, to use effective contraceptive method(s) as outlined in that form.