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. 2021 Aug 4;10(4):147–161. doi: 10.14740/jh866

Table 2. Therapeutic Combinations in the Management of AL Amyloidosis.

Treatment Line of therapy Description
Autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) 1) Upfront transplant (in selected cases); 2) Consolidation after induction [16] 1) High-dose melphalan 200 mg/m2 followed by ASCT is considered as first-line treatment for patients who fit eligibility criteria and have minimum plasma cell percentage (< 10%) in the bone marrow [9, 17, 18]; 2) Criteria for HD-ASCT include patients up to 65 - 70 years of age with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 50 mL/min, low cardiac biomarkers (NT-pBNP < 590 pmol/L and/or troponin T < 0.06 ng/mL), plasma cell infiltration (< 10%) in the bone marrow at the time of transplant; 3) ASCT should be avoided in patients with severe autonomic neuropathy, significant gastrointestinal bleeding, advanced renal failure over 70 years (case by case basis), amyloid-related symptomatic pleural effusions or poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (> 2) [41]; 4) Bortezomib-based induction therapy is considered prior to ASCT if plasma cells > 10% in the bone marrow.
Alkylating agent (melphalan) and dexamethasone
  Melphalan and Dex (M-Dex) First-line therapy in selected transplant ineligible patients Melphalan-dexamethasone can be considered as first line in elderly patients, neuropathy, poor performance status. Complete response (CR) rate 33%, overall response rate (ORR) 67% [19].
Proteasome inhibitior therapy
  Bortezomib Backbone therapy for various combinations
    Bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone (CyBorD) First line or relapse AL amyloidosis (can be considered for both transplant eligible and ineligible CyBorD as upfront or second-line therapy is very effective regimen with overall hematologic response up to 94%. The regimen can be used in both transplant eligible and ineligible patients [20, 21].
    Bortezomib, melphalan, dexamethasone (BMDex) First line or relapse AL amyloidosis (transplant ineligible patients) Treatment with BMDex compared with MDex resulted in improved hematologic responses at 3 months (79% vs. 52%; P = 0.002), Very good partial response (VGPR) and CR (64% vs. 39%; hazard ratio, 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.30 to 4.71). Overall survival (OS) with 50% decrease in mortality rate [22].
    Bortezomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone (VRd) Use is limited to selected patients with t11:14, no cardiac involvement, no history solid organ transplant 1) The regimen has high rate of VGPR at 6 months compared to CyBorD regimen (92% vs. 61%) [23]. Consider weekly bortezomib, low-dose lenalidomide (5 mg), and weekly dexamethasone; 2) The regimen is not used as upfront due to its non-hematologic toxicity; 3) Combination should be avoided in patients with cardiac involvement.
  Carfilzomib Not recommended outside of clinical trial Patients have high grade 3 and grade 4 cardiac, renal, pulmonary and hematologic toxicities.
  Ixazomib
    Ixazomib + dexamethasone Relapse/refractory AL amyloidosis after one or more prior lines of therapy 1) Hematologic response are 52%, 1-year OS 85% [42]; 2) Phase 3 ongoing, NCT01659658
    Ixazomib + cyclophosphamide + dexamethasone Investigational Phase 1/2 ongoing in patients with relapse AL amyloidosis (NCT01864018, NCT03236792)
Immunomodulatory drugs
  Thalidomide
    Thalidomide, dexamethasone 1) Rarely used due to toxicity; 2) Not commonly prescribe in USA 1) Hematologic response 48%, CR 15%; 2) Increase risk of symptomatic bradycardia [24]
    Thalidomide, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone 1) Use in relapse AL amyloidosis (case by case basis); 2) Not commonly prescribe in the USA 1) Hematologic response 74%, CR 21% [25]; 2) Increase risk of cardiotoxicity
  Lenalidomide
    Lenalidomide-dexamethasone Limited to selected cases for both first line and relapse AL amyloidosis 1) Hematologic response 61%, CR 20% [26]; 2) Serious cardiac and renal toxicity are reported [27, 28].
    Lenalidomide, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone Limited to selected cases for both first line and relapse AL amyloidosis 1) Hematologic response 60%, VGPR 40% in upfront treatment; 2) Higher rate of hematologic toxicity [43]
  Pomalidomide
    Pomalidomide-Dexamethasone 1) Preferred over lenalidomide and dexamethasone; 2) Use is limited to relapse AL amyloidosis Overall hematologic response varies 48-68% in relapse AL amyloidosis. Rapid response can be seen after starting treatment [29, 30].
Monoclonal antibodies targeting CD38
  Daratumumab (IV) Heavily pretreated AL amyloidosis 1) Hematologic response is 76%, CR 36%, VGPR 24%; 2) Median hematologic response reported at 1 month [31]
  Daratumumab (SQ), bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone Recommended as first line induction therapy both in transplant eligible and transplant ineligible patients (preferred) 1) Overall hematologic response reported 92%, CR 53% compared to CyBorD alone (77%, CR 18%) [32, 33]; 2) Six-month cardiac response 42% versus 22%; 3) Six-month renal response 54% versus 27%
  Ixazomib + daratumumab + dexamethasone Investigational Combination is currently investigated in heavily pretreated AL amyloidosis (NCT03283917).
  Daratumumab, pomalidomide Investigational Combination is currently investigated in heavily pretreated AL amyloidosis (NCT04895917).
  Isatuximab Investigational Preliminary phase 2 results showed hematologic response 77%, VGPR 54% (NCT 08399808) [44].
Targeting amyloid component therapy
  NEOD001 Investigational Clinical trial failed to prove significant improvement in outcomes. Subgroup analysis of VITAL suggests benefit in Mayo stage IV patients with severe cardiac involvement and confirmatory trial is planned [34].
  CAEL-101 Investigational 1) 63% patients have organ response [35, 36]; 2) A double-blind, randomized, multicenter international phase 3 study of CAEL-101 combined with the SoC treatment for plasma cell dyscrasia (PCD) versus placebo in patients with treatment naive Mayo stage IIIb AL amyloidosis (NCT045004825); 3) A phase 3, double-blind, multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CAEL-101 and plasma cell dyscrasia treatment versus placebo and plasma cell dyscrasia treatment in plasma cell dyscrasia treatment naive patients with Mayo stage IIIa AL amyloidosis (NCT04512235).
Anti-metabolite and alkylating agent
  Bendamustine Investigational Has better hematologic response in relapse IgM AL amyloidosis compared to non-IgM AL amyloidosis (58% versus 28%) particularly in combination with rituximab [37]
Small molecules
  Doxycycline Consider doxycycline as an adjuvant to standard chemotherapy Doxycycline is associated with better hematologic response and survival rates at 12 and 24 months compared to matched historical controls (82% versus 53%), and (82% versus 40%) [38]
  Venetoclax (BCL-2 inhibitor) Investigational Drug is evaluated as single agent and in combinations. Venetoclax has shown promising results with t11:14 translocation. Despite biochemical response, safety concerns and increase risk of death is a concern which require further investigation before its use to patients.
  Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (ECGC) Investigational Use as an adjuvant treatment is not well established [39, 40].
  Ibrutunib (bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor) Investigational Ibrutinib with or without bortezomib and dexamethasone in treating patients with relapsed or refractory immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (NCT03130348)
Oncopeptides
  Melflufen + dexamethasone Investigational A phase 1/2 open label study of melphalan flufenamide (melflufen) in combination with dexamethasone for participants with Al amyloidosis following at least one prior line of therapy (NCT04115956)