Pomalidomide

In the European Union, pomalidomide, in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone, is indicated for the treatment of adults with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior treatment regimen including lenalidomide;^[8] and in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior treatment regimens, including both lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy.^[8]

In the United States, pomalidomide is indicated, in combination with dexamethasone, for the treatment of people with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor and have demonstrated disease progression on or within 60 days of completion of the last therapy;^[12] and for the treatment of people with AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma after failure of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or in people with Kaposi sarcoma who are HIV-negative.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Pomalidomide can cause harm to unborn babies when administered during pregnancy.^[8]

Pomalidomide is present in the semen of people receiving the drug.^[7][8]

The parent compound of pomalidomide, thalidomide, was originally discovered to inhibit angiogenesis in 1994.^[18] Based upon this discovery, thalidomide was taken into clinical trials for cancer, leading to its ultimate FDA approval for multiple myeloma.^[19] Structure-activity studies revealed that amino substituted thalidomide had improved antitumor activity, which was due to its ability to directly inhibit both the tumor cell and vascular compartments of myeloma cancers.^[16] This dual activity of pomalidomide makes it more efficacious than thalidomide in vitro and in vivo.^[20]