Pomalidomide

The multiple myeloma treatment arms race has really been heating up. Practically on the heels of FDA approval of Onyx's carfilzomib (branded as Kyprolis) comes approval for Celgene's latest thalidomide derivative, pomalidomide (branded as Pomalyst). Once again this entry is fenced about by theoretical restrictions (only for patients who have failed at least two other treatments, please) that will yield in practice to further research. Unsurprisingly given its lineage, pomalidomide seems to do better with a low-dose dexamethasone amplifier. Also unsurprisingly, these new agents are doing nothing to reduce the cost of treatment; both will run more or less the same $10000/month as my old reliable Revlimid.