Lenalidomide (Revlimid®)

Lenalidomide (brand name Revlimid ®) is an oral medication approved by the FDA to treat hematologic disorders such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and multiple myeloma (MM). Similar to thalidomide, of which it is a derivative, lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug meaning that it affects immune response within the body. It may work by inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels in tumors, enhancing the immune system, or decreasing the production of growth factor and cytokines.

Although not FDA approved for this indication, lenalidomide is also sometimes used to treat patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including MPN/MDS, MPN-not otherwise specified (MPN-NOS), and myelofibrosis (MF). Clinical trials have shown that some patients respond favorably to varying doses of lenalidomide, often in combination with steroid medications such as prednisone.