Evaluation of Ruxolitinib, a Janus Kinase Inhibitor, in Multiple Myeloma

“[...] the results of the studies presented in this review will hopefully provide the impetus for conducting additional preclinical and clinical studies to evaluate RUX in the setting of MM as well as other types of cancer.”

BUFFALO, NY- February 7, 2024 – A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on February 5, 2024, entitled, “Preclinical and clinical evaluation of the Janus Kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib in multiple myeloma.”

In this new paper, researchers Ashley Del Dosso, Elizabeth Tadevosyan, and James R. Berenson from ONCOtherapeutics, Berenson Cancer Center, and Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research discussed multiple myeloma (MM) — the most common primary malignancy of the bone marrow. No established curative treatment is currently available for patients diagnosed with MM. 

In recent years, new and more effective drugs have become available for the treatment of this B-cell malignancy. These new drugs have often been evaluated together and in combination with older agents. However, even these novel combinations eventually become ineffective; and, thus, novel therapeutic approaches are necessary to help overcome resistance to these treatments. 

Recently, the Janus Kinase (JAK) family of tyrosine kinases, specifically JAK1 and JAK2, has been shown to have a role in the pathogenesis of MM. Preclinical studies have demonstrated a role for JAK signaling in direct and indirect growth of MM and downregulation of anti-tumor immune responses in these patients. Also, inhibition of JAK proteins enhances the anti-MM effects of other drugs used to treat MM. These findings have been confirmed in clinical studies which have further demonstrated the safety and efficacy of JAK inhibition as a means to overcome resistance to currently available anti-MM therapies. Additional studies will provide further support for this promising new therapeutic approach for treating patients with MM.

“The following sections of this article will be focused on studies of RUX [Ruxolitinib] in the preclinical [21–24] and clinical settings [18–20] focused on the treatment of relapsed/refractory (RR) MM.”

Read the full paper: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28547 

Correspondence to: James R. Berenson

Email: jberenson@berensoncancercenter.com 

Keywords: multiple myeloma, ruxolitinib, JAK/STAT, cytokine, clinical trial

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