First Clinical Experience with Simvastatin to Overcome Drug Resistance in Refractory Multiple Myeloma

In vitro statins overcome cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance at non-toxic concentrations that are achievable in humans by standard dose simvastatin. A pilot phase-II trial was initiated to determine feasibility and antimyeloma efficacy. In six myeloma patients refractory to two cycles of bortezomib or bendamustine simvastatin was concomitantly administered during further two cycles. The therapy was well tolerated without grade 3/4 toxicity. Intrapatient (cycles I/II vs. III/IV) and interpatient comparison (vs. ten patients without simvastatin) showed reduction of drug resistance by inhibition of HMG-CoA-reductase. In summary, this is the first phase II experience to study antimyeloma activity of statins in humans.