Publications by authors named "Biran N"

Venetoclax, the first-in-class BCL-2 inhibitor, has shown efficacy in multiple myeloma (MM), particularly in patients with the t(11;14) translocation. This single-center retrospective analysis included MM patients treated with venetoclax from November 2017 to March 2023. Data encompassed demographics, disease characteristics, treatment regimens, and outcomes using median progression-free-survival (mPFS).

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Interferon-alpha has activity against multiple myeloma. Modakafusp alfa is an immunocytokine comprising two attenuated interferon-alpha2b molecules and an anti-CD38 IgG4 antibody, targeting delivery of interferon-alpha to CD38+ immune and myeloma cells. This phase I/II trial (NCT03215030) enrolled patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma with ≥3 prior lines of treatment and refractory to or intolerant of ≥1 proteasome inhibitor and ≥1 immunomodulatory drug.

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Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) has seen limited use in treating multiple myeloma (MM), despite its potential to offer long-term survival or even cure through the graft-versus-myeloma effect. Its limited application is largely due to concerns over serious complications like infections and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The possibility of GVHD exacerbation when CAR-T cells are administered to patients previously treated with allo-SCT remains a topic of concern.

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Introduction: Treatment decision-making for multiple myeloma (MM) is complex. Individuals involved in decision-making may value treatment attributes differently based on their role as a patient, care partner, or physician. This study describes those attributes, and what is most important by role.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Talquetamab is effective for treating patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have already undergone multiple treatments, as evaluated in the MonumenTAL-1 study compared to real-world treatments.
  • - The study utilized external control data from the Flatiron Health database, including over 600 eligible patients, and analyzed outcomes for two dosage schedules of talquetamab (0.4 mg/kg weekly and 0.8 mg/kg biweekly).
  • - Results indicated that both talquetamab dosages significantly improved progression-free survival, time to next treatment, and overall survival compared to standard real-world options, supporting its use as an effective immunotherapy.
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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell dyscrasia characterized by production of abnormal levels of a monoclonal immunoglobulin or plasma cell deposition that leads to end organ destruction. The disease remains incurable despite advances in combination treatments with classes of medications that include proteosome inhibitors, immunomodulating agents, monoclonal antibodies, small molecule inhibitors, alkylating agents, T-cell-based immunotherapies, and others. Checkpoint inhibitors (CKP-I), though showing robust efficacy in solid tumor and lymphoma, have had limited success as single agents in the treatment of MM.

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Persons with myeloma were randomized to receive an anti-TIGIT (T cell immunoreceptor) or anti-LAG3 (lymphocyte activation gene) antibody followed by combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone ( NCT04150965 ). Primary and secondary endpoints were safety and efficacy, respectively. Therapy was well tolerated without dose-limiting toxicity.

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Patients with high-risk multiple-myeloma (HRMM) and ultra-high-risk multiple-myeloma (UHRMM) show rapid disease progression and shorter survival compared to those with standard-risk multiple-myeloma (SRMM). Lenalidomide maintenance after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has shown inferior outcomes in this subgroup compared to SRMM, and there is an unmet need for improved post-ASCT therapy. This retrospective study, from September 2016 to March 2023, assesses elotuzumab combined with lenalidomide or pomalidomide and dexamethasone (ERd or EPd) as consolidation therapy post-ASCT for HRMM and UHRMM patients.

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Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematologic malignancy characterized by the neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells, which produce monoclonal immunoglobulin that can cause vital organ damage, subsequently leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (ASCT) is the standard-of-care management of eligible patients with newly diagnosed MM. Experts recommend collecting enough stem cells upfront to support a possible tandem transplant, salvage ASCT, or a stem cell "boost" to allow for the administration of multiagent cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory disease.

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Background: The increasing use of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (αCD38 mAbs) for newly diagnosed or early relapsed multiple myeloma (MM), especially in non-transplant eligible patients, may lead to more patients developing αCD38 mAb-refractory disease earlier in the treatment course with fewer treatment options.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the efficacy and safety of selinexor-based triplets (selinexor+dexamethasone [Sd] plus pomalidomide [SPd, n = 23], bortezomib [SVd, n = 16] or carfilzomib (SKd, n = 23]) in a subset of STOMP (NCT02343042) and BOSTON (NCT03110562) study patients treated previously with αCD38 mAbs.

Results: Sixty-two patients (median 4 prior therapies, range 1 to 11, 90.

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Objectives: Inadequate caloric intake is common in Crohn disease (CD) and nutrition support plays an important role in remission induction and in meeting nutritional needs. For nutritional planning, determining resting metabolic rate (RMR) is essential in pediatric patients with CD.

Study Aim: To measure RMR in CD pediatric patients using indirect calorimetry, and compare it with estimated RMR (eRMR) calculated by Schofield equation.

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The authors report the case of a multiple myeloma recurrence isolated to the lacrimal gland. The patient is a 54-year-old man with a medical history of IgA kappa multiple myeloma status post multiple lines of chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation (×2) who was presumed to be without evidence of disease. Six years following the transplant, he presented with a lacrimal gland tumor with a biopsy consistent with multiple myeloma.

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Objective: There is no gold standard to assess adherence to gluten-free diet (GFD) among patients with celiac disease (CeD). Gluten immunogenic peptides (GIPs) in urine and stool were suggested as novel markers for evaluating adherence to GFD. Our aim was to assess the presence of GIP in pediatric patients with CeD, and to compare the results with alternative methods for evaluating GFD adherence.

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Background: Extramedullary multiple myeloma (MM) (EMM) is a rare and aggressive subentity of MM that can be present at diagnosis or develop anytime during the disease course. There is a paucity of data on the clinical characteristics and overall epidemiology of EMM. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of data on how the interaction of age and gender influences the survival of EMM.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Data from 11 heavily pretreated patients indicate that selinexor (X) regimens show strong effectiveness and produce lasting responses, even when used later in treatment.
  • * X-containing regimens resulted in better overall response rates and longer progression-free survival compared to previous anti-BCMA treatments, highlighting their potential in addressing an ongoing treatment gap.
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We evaluated changes in patient-reported outcomes and cognitive function from pre- to 3-6 months post-treatment among 42 newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma undergoing transplant with complete data using PROMIS-29. There were statistically significant improvements in physical ( < .001) and mental health ( < .

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Over the past decade, therapeutic options in multiple myeloma (MM) have changed dramatically. Given the unprecedented efficacy of novel agents, the role of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in MM remains under scrutiny. Rapid advances in myeloma immunotherapy including the recent approval of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy will impact the MM therapeutic landscape.

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Salvage autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an effective treatment for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs), a source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), are collected before the first transplantation, and adequate quantities of PBSCs can be collected and stored potentially for years to support at least 2 transplantations for eligible patients. To ensure the safety of salvage HSCT in the treatment of patients in subsequent relapse, PBSCs must retain the potential to engraft even after several years of cryopreservation.

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Aim: Infants with biliary atresia (BA) generally have chronic malnutrition. However, the best anthropometric measure to assess malnutrition and its correlation with disease severity is unknown. We aimed to assess correlations of various anthropometric measurements, including air displacement plethysmography (ADP), with laboratory parameters and with the pediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD) score in infants with BA.

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Article Synopsis
  • Proteasome inhibitors, such as carfilzomib, enhance the effectiveness of selinexor, a new oral treatment, in battling multiple myeloma (MM) based on preclinical studies.
  • A clinical trial involving 32 patients assessed the safety, maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), and efficacy of selinexor combined with carfilzomib and dexamethasone, finding significant adverse effects but manageable under supportive care.
  • The combination treatment led to an impressive 78% overall response rate, with a median progression-free survival of 15 months, indicating that weekly XKd is both effective and well-tolerated for relapsed refractory MM patients.
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High-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is considered the standard of care for transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). With new treatment combinations offering the advantage of improved clinical outcomes of MM patients, the utilization of ASCT is again being addressed in the evolving treatment landscape. In this article, we review the role of frontline ASCT in the management of patients with MM.

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Background: Selinexor is an oral, selective nuclear export inhibitor. STORM was a phase 2b, single-arm, open-label, multicenter trial of selinexor with low dose dexamethasone in patients with penta-exposed relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) that met its primary endpoint, with overall response of 26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19 to 35%). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was a secondary endpoint measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Multiple Myeloma (FACT-MM).

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Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an increasingly treatable but still incurable hematologic malignancy. Prognosis has improved significantly over recent years, although further advances remain urgently needed, especially for patients with heavily pre-treated and resistant disease for whom there are limited options. Selinexor is a first-in-class, oral, selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE) compound that triggers apoptosis in malignant cells by inducing nuclear retention of oncogene messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and reactivation of tumor suppressor proteins (TSPs).

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