Objective: Over the years, the number of clinical trials with Celgene products has increased drastically leading to more requests for published material from various departments. Internally, there were several sites where abstracts, posters, oral presentations, and manuscripts were archived, however there was no tool providing a chronological overview and quick access to all material. Methods: Various cross‐functional teams from Global Medical & Scientific Communications collaborated to develop a History Book, to classify publications. Key clinical trials were identified and labeled with a consistent taxonomy in a bibliographic style. All publications were organized in an electronic PDF format, and hyperlinked to trial websites and internal databases. Results: Six disease History Books were developed and published in 2012 detailing 24 trials and covering more than 627 citations. After 6 months of usage, a survey was sent to all users (N=423 from 30 countries), and demonstrated high utilization and satisfaction ratings across departments including medical, clinical, legal, regulatory and drug safety. Awareness and availability of the tool was communicated via corporate e‐mails and internal portal alerts. Conclusion: The History Books successfully addressed a previously unmet need, and provided a permanent, up‐to‐date, resource accessible to various cross functional teams. In addition, this innovative tool has been very popular and frequently used when on boarding new colleagues. More information will be presented at the meeting.
Importance of the field: Lenalidomide and other new agents are improving survival of multiple myeloma patients. This review describes current data on lenalidomide in myeloma and how the unique properties of lenalidomide may lend its use in new settings, such as maintenance and preventive therapy.Areas covered in this review: This review covers the activity of lenalidomide in multiple myeloma, efficacy in both newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory patients, how to manage effectively common adverse events observed with lenalidomide, and its potential use in new settings based on clinical trials published up to 2009.What the reader will gain: This review describes the mechanism of action of lenalidomide in myeloma which provides the basis for its clinical use in newly diagnosed, relapsed/refractory, and high-risk smoldering myeloma in combination with other agents. Strategies to reduce or effectively manage myelosuppression and thromboembolic events, the main adverse events associated with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone therapy, are also described.Take home message: Lenalidomide is an oral immunomodulatory drug that is highly effective in treating multiple myeloma, has a favorable safety profile and is now being evaluated as maintenance therapy, preventive therapy and in combination with other new agents.
Thalidomide is effective in the treatment of multiple myeloma. The immunomodulatory drug and thalidomide analogue lenalidomide is currently in late stage clinical development for MDS and multiple myeloma. This minireview highlights the course of initial and ongoing lenalidomide clinical development in oncology with reference to earlier thalidomide studies.
