Phase 3 Study With Carfilzomib and Dexamethasone Versus Bortezomib and Dexamethasone for Relapsed Multiple Myeloma Patients

Inclusion Criteria

• Multiple myeloma with relapsing or progressing disease at study entry.
• Patients must have evaluable multiple myeloma with, at least one of the following (assessed within 21 days prior to randomization):
• Serum M-protein ≥ 0.5 g/dL, or
• Urine M-protein ≥ 200 mg/24 hour, or
• In patients without detectable serum or urine M-protein, serum free light chain (SFLC) > 100 mg/L (involved light chain) and an abnormal serum kappa/lamda ratio, or
• For immunoglobulin (Ig) A patients whose disease can only be reliably measured by serum quantitative immunoglobulin (qIgA) ≥ 750 mg/dL (0.75 g/dL).
• Patients must have documented at least partial response (PR) to at least 1 line of prior therapy. PR documentation can be based on Investigator assessment.
• Received 1, but no more than 3 prior treatment regimens or lines of therapy for multiple myeloma. (Induction therapy followed by stem cell transplant and consolidation/maintenance therapy will be considered as one line of therapy).
• Prior therapy with Velcade is allowed as long as the patient had at least a PR to prior Velcade therapy, was not removed from Velcade therapy due to toxicity, and will have at least a 6 month Velcade treatment-free interval from last dose received until first study treatment. (Patients may receive maintenance therapy with drugs that are not in the proteasome inhibitor class during this 6 month Velcade treatment-free interval).
• Prior therapy with carfilzomib is allowed as long as the patient had at least a PR to prior carfilzomib therapy, was not removed from carfilzomib therapy due to toxicity, and had at least a 6-month carfilzomib treatment-free interval from last dose received until first study treatment. (Patients may receive maintenance therapy with drugs that are not in the proteasome inhibitor class during this 6 month carfilzomib treatment-free interval). The exception to this is patients randomized or previously randomized in any other Onyx-Sponsored Phase 3 trial.
• Males and females ≥ 18 years of age.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status of 0 to 2.
• Adequate hepatic function within 21 days prior to randomization, with bilirubin 50%) within 21 days prior to randomization. Patients should not have received platelet transfusions for at least 1 week prior to obtaining the screening platelet count.
• Calculated or measured creatinine clearance (CrCl) of ≥ 15 mL/min within 21 days prior to randomization. Calculation should be based on standard formula such as the Cockcroft and Gault:

[(140 - Age) x Mass (kg) / (72 x Creatinine mg/dL)]; multiply result by 0.85 if female.

• Written informed consent in accordance with federal, local, and institutional guidelines.
• Female patients of child-bearing potential (FCBP) must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 21 days prior to randomization and agree to use an effective method of contraception during and for 3 months following last dose of drug (more frequent pregnancy tests may be conducted if required per local regulations). FCBP is defined as a sexually mature woman who: 1) has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy or 2) has not been naturally postmenopausal (amenorrhea following cancer therapy does not rule out childbearing potential) for at least 12 consecutive months (i.e., has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months).
• Male patients must use an effective barrier method of contraception during study and for 3 months following the last dose if sexually active with a FCBP.

Exclusion Criteria

• Multiple Myeloma of IgM subtype.
• Glucocorticoid therapy (prednisone > 30 mg/day or equivalent) within 14 days prior to randomization.
• POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein, and skin changes).
• Plasma cell leukemia or circulating plasma cells ≥ 2 × 10^9/L.
• Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.
• Patients with known amyloidosis.
• Chemotherapy with a