An update of the apex study
Alessandro Corso
Division of Hematology, Istituto Scientifico Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Italy
APEX, a pivotal phase III, randomized, multicentre trial was the largest performed in relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) to date, comparing Bortezomib (Velcade®) with high dose dexamethasone (Dex). The initial results of this important study were published by Paul Richardson and colleagues in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2005.
Since these results were published, all Velcade patients who were ongoing at the time of the NEJM publication have completed study participation (i.e. completed all cycles or discontinued the study). However, because of dexamethasone arm was halted early, the results, apart from overall survival, have only been updated for Bortezomib (Velcade®) patients. [>Read full article in PDF]