Carfilzomib is a type of chemotherapy drug called a proteasome inhibitor. It is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat a blood cancer called multiple myeloma. People with multiple myeloma have abnormal plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell found in your bone marrow that secrete antibodies (immunoglobulins). These antibodies are protective proteins that help fight infection. When plasma cells become cancerous they grow out of control and make an abnormal antibody. Carfilzomib works by inhibiting the growth of myeloma cells and encouraging them to self-destruct. Myeloma cells use proteasomes to break down proteins within them. Carfilzomib blocks the action of proteasomes, causing the proteins to build up inside the cells and the cells to die. Carfilzomib was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012. It is a second generation proteasome inhibitor that was designed to overcome toxicity and resistance issues that some patients experienced with an older proteasome inhibitor called bortezomib (Velcade). Carfilzomib is available under the brand name Kyprolis. A generic version is also available.

• Samples available
• OEB 4
• Under development