From acor-
Date:Â Â Â Tue, 1 Apr 2008 16:49:27 -0500
From:Â Â Â Ben <lankheet@FRONTIERNET.NET>
Subject: NPI-0052
As you know, I have had a keen interest in NPI-0052 for some time. The
literature keeps putting out more and more on this proteasome inhibitor as
is shown in the example below (there are many more). I will be the first to
sign up when it reaches Phase III trials. It has great potential to keep MM
moving towards a chronic but manageable disease. And it can be taken
orally.
Ben
[
What is the difference between the novel NPI-0052 and the PR-171. I know they are both protesome inhibitors, and function similarly. Inthink the PR-171 is further in the development. I just wonder if anybody knows which one has more promise. If I recall correctly someone on the MM suport list mentioned that NPI will soon be available on the compassion basis.
Paul
 Paul-
Below are two excerpts from google search- both therapies appear to be in clinical 1 trials being referred to as "novel."
I haven't read much on any of the listservs yet- DavidÂ
A novel proteasome inhibitor NPI-0052 as an anticancer therapy
www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v95/n8/full/6603406a.html - Similar pages
Safety Study of the Proteasome Inhibitor PR-171 in Patients With ...
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00150462?cond=%22Waldenstrom+Macroglobulinemia%22&rank=30 - 39k - Cached - Similar pages
Hi everyone! I don't know anything about PR-171, but I did write a post in July 2007 (which then became a permanent page) on NPI-0052, or Salinosporamide A, a potent proteasome inhibitor extracted from a marine bacterium, Salinospora tropica. If you go to my homepage, the page will be on your right.
Not much, but it's all I have!
Have a great weekend,
Margaret. Florence, Italy. Blog URL: http://margaret.healthblo...
Follow the link at the bottom of this to see a Dana Farber webpage that states that, "In animal model studies, NPI-0052 cured 57% of treated mice, was well-tolerated, and prolonged survival." Cured?!?! I realize there are a few differences between mice and humans, but do they really mean cured, and has there been anything else been shown to cure mm in mice?
http://physicians.dana-farber.org/directory/profile.asp?dbase=main&setsize=10&display=Y&nxtfmt=r&gs=r&picture_id=0000281&lookup=Y&pict_id=0000281
Hi Rebecca and everyone,
I read that piece on the Dana-Farber website, and I think it's a question of (poor) semantics. The wording is very unprecise (in my opinion). What I think the researcher meant to say is what comes after the verb "cured," that is: NPI-0052 was well-tolerated and prolonged survival. I could be wrong, mind you, but I don't think so. I really don't think he meant to say that NPI-0052 actually got rid of the myeloma.Â
It is my understanding that until we get rid of the myeloma STEM cells, there will be no cure. So the answer to your question, in my view, is no. Sorry! I wish it were otherwise (believe me!).
Speaking of stem cells, I got in touch with the senior author of the DMAPT "Blood" study (see my blog for details if you want) this past weekend, and the information that I have is that a Phase I clinical trial will begin in England and is open to patients (leukemia, myeloma etc.) who have advanced disease or have stopped responding to conventional treatments. Â
I clearly do not qualify for the trial (I asked, but my current clinical status is too good). DMAPT is a parthenolide analogue; parthenolide is extracted from feverfew, a pretty little plant from the sunflower family. In vitro, parthenolide shows strong anti-MM activity, and apparently its analogue, water-soluble DMAPT, kills leukemic STEM cells. Hence my interest! The DMAPT researcher (couldn't have been nicer, btw) told me to wait for a couple of years. Sounds like forever...!
Margaret. Florence, Italy. Blog URL: http://margaret.healthblo...
 This is the link to the specific page that Margaret is referring to-David
http://margaret.healthblogs.org/life-with-myeloma/what-is-multiple-myeloma/salinosporamide-a/Â
From the acor listserv-
Date:Â Â Â Wed, 2 Apr 2008 12:19:48 EDT
From:Â Â Â Gary Takata <GTTakata@AOL.COM>
Subject: NPI -0052
Nereus researchers and collaborators will make the following presentations at
AACR:
Sunday, April 15, 2007
#1445: Sensitization of B-NHL resistant tumor cells overexpressing Bcl-xL to
TRAIL-induced apoptosis by the novel proteasome inhibitor Salinosporamide A
(NPI-0052)
NPI-0052 is being touted by some as the next velcade but  more effective
with less adverse effects.
the company recently raised $45 million from a group of quality investors
which is generally a good sign. and the dana farber group is involved with the
clinical trial which is another good sign. it is still a way from becoming a FDA
approved drug and there are toxicity questions that need to be resolved.
gary
NPI-0052 or Salinosporamide A
This is the link to the specific page that Margaret is referring to-David
[external link]
I asked Dr. Berenson about NPI-0052 the last two times I saw him. The first time he referred to it as "just another Velcade". I told him that did not seem so bad to me, adding yet another weapon to our arsenal to fight mm. And besides that, in a trial it should be free, I think. Although I have insurance, the running total to the insurance company for Velcade, Doxil, and dex was enormous.
The last time I saw him he seemed even less impressed with it. As you may or may not know, I am in San Diego. Dr. Berenson is in Los Angeles (Beverly Hills). Nereus is a San Diego company. I think they were trying to get him to run a trial. Dr. Berenson's preclinical lab is actually in San Diego, and he went to UCSD (because they did not require the MCATs he told me once). Yet even with all the local connections he turned them down, for one reason or another. It could be financial of course.
He was not at all impressed with PR-171, but I had come to the same conclusion long ago, even though the company seems to really try hard to recruit patients. One patient who is lambda light like I am was in a trial, and it did nothing for her. At least it gave her no side effects. Other patients have died on the drug, simply because it did nothing to stop the progression of mm.
But here is the good part--Dr. Berenson let it slip he has a much better proteasome inhibitor in development but he was not at liberty to talk about it--I assume for financial reasons.
I would have posted this on the acor list, but now ALL of my posts are censored. Oh well.
Thanks for the update, Margaret and keep us posted. David
"...I clearly do not qualify for the trial (I asked, but my current clinical status is too good). DMAPT is a parthenolide analogue; parthenolide is extracted from feverfew, a pretty little plant from the sunflower family. In vitro, parthenolide shows strong anti-MM activity, and apparently its analogue, water-soluble DMAPT, kills leukemic STEM cells. Hence my interest! The DMAPT researcher (couldn't have been nicer, btw) told me to wait for a couple of years. Sounds like forever...!"
Now that I read more of the posts, I need to add that, at least according to Dr. Berenson, no proteasome inhibitor will be a cure. He said that only a compound that gets at the myeloma precursor stem cell would be a cure.
 He hired a PhD researcher two months ago to direct research to find such a compound. They are first looking at some type of bacterium.
 It is the general idea as what is going on at the University of Michigan, only a different approach. I was real excited about the trial at the University of Michigan. In fact, I posted a link to the trial on the acor list that was censored. I had to have someone repost it for me. Unfortunately, you cannot have had more than 3 treatments, and I have had between 6 and 9, depending on how you count repeated treatments and adding biaxin to a treatment. Â
 There is a risk of course that goes along with the radiation they are using, but just like with nanotechnology/RF waves, I would be willing to take the risk. I also believe there is a risk with my frequent blood transfusions.
 By the way, there is a greater than chance link between mm and system programmers, so certainly I would not discount that there is a link between low frequency EMFs and mm. In fact, when I was first diagnosed, I actually thought that is how I got it. At that time, I used an internet service that used a high-power cell phone-like device to get internet into the house (this was a computer-only city network). This receiver/transmitter was right under my chair for at least a year. The company was called Ricochet, but it no longer exists in San Diego.  The service was not popular, so I doubt I will ever know.
Alex Maas
San diegoÂ
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