One of the key myeloma markers doctors and patients track in myeloma are light chain levels. What are light chains? An important part of our immune systems are our immunoglobulins – disease fighting immune cells. Each of these immunoglobulins have a light chain (like kappa or lambda) and a heavy chain (like IgG, IgA, IgM,[...]

We prefer to focus on developments in late state research as those give us something to look forward to in terms of treatment alternatives that may become available to us in the ‘near term’. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should ignore results from early research. Novel treatments and treatment combos are already extending the[...]

CAR T therapy is an emerging treatment for multiple myeloma and over 70% of myeloma patients are on Medicare or Medicaid. CAR T treatments are usually a single-dose administration and are expected to be expensive. Last Friday, the the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will increase the amount institutions are reimbursed[...]

“One big thing that differentiates the approach here in Austin compared to my past experience is that clinical care is modeled on a ‘team of providers’ approach—nurse practitioners, social workers, nutritionists, psychologists, fertility specialists, genetic counselors—to individualize treatment.  I think we do a better job of taking care of the entire patient, not just their[...]

Researchers at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) published results that found individuals with low-risk or intermediate-risk myeloma precursor disease known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) can convert to high-risk MGUS and progress to multiple myeloma within a five-year window. This research clinically supports recommendations for annual blood tests for all individuals[...]

Myeloma expert Dr. Tanya Wildes of the Washington University School of Medicine spoke at the recent ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) conference in Chicago. Her topic was addressing a new definition of “high-risk” for older multiple myeloma patients. Traditionally, standard-risk and higher-risk are defined by a few factors, including the International Staging System (ISS),[...]

On July 18, the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (based at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, along with the University of Washington and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance) presented new research on a preventative approach doctors can take by predicting blood clots for multiple myeloma patients. The doctors will be able to evaluate which[...]

Bi-specific antibodies are new class of myeloma drug where an immune system T cell (targeting CD3) is joined with a target on myeloma cells (BCMA) to enable the T cell to kill the myeloma cells. Teneobio and Abbvie are teaming up to develop a new CD3/BCMA bi-specific antibody to kill myeloma cells with minimal cytokine[...]

Molecular Templates and Takeda Oncology are teaming up to develop a new class of targeted biologic therapeutics for myeloma patients. The FDA has now accepted the application for TAK-169, an Engineered Toxin Body (EBT) targeting CD38. Together, they plan to conduce a Phase I trial for relapsed/refractory myeloma patients.  According to Eric Pooma, PhD, CEO[...]

University of Würzburg myeloma researchers have identified that a tyrosine kinase inhibitor called dasatinib can act as an on/off switch for CAR T cells without affecting the T cells’ viability.  Significant CAR T cell therapy is in development for multiple myeloma in over a dozen clinical trials. The most common target in development for multiple[...]