Melphalan, sold under the brand name Alkeran among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, melanoma, and AL amyloidosis. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a vein.Common side effects include nausea and bone marrow suppression. Other severe side effects may include anaphylaxis and the development of other cancers. Use during pregnancy may result in harm to the fetus. Melphalan belongs to the class of nitrogen mustard alkylating agents. It works by interfering with the creation of DNA and RNA.Melphalan was approved for medical use in the United States in 1964. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a generic medication. Medical uses
It is used to treat multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, AL amyloidosis, and occasionally malignant melanoma. The agent was first investigated as a possible drug for use in melanoma, it was not found to be effective.In 2016, it was approved in the U.S. for:

use as a high-dose conditioning treatment prior to hematopoietic progenitor (stem) cell transplantation in multiple myeloma (MM) patients
the palliative treatment of MM patients for whom oral therapy is not appropriateMelphalan is used to treat ocular retinoblastoma, a pediatric solid tumor. This is accomplished via transarterial catheter based slow pulsed infusion into the ophthalmic artery.
The applicant for this medicinal product is ADIENNE S.r.l. S.U. Melphalan was approved for medical use in the European Union in November 2020. References
External links
"Melphalan". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.