The 2025 annual meetings of the IMF Asian Myeloma Network  (AMN) were held on October 16–19 in Nagoya, Japan. 

Once again, the AMN meetings were the largest and most ambitious regional activities to date, with myeloma specialists, patients, and care partners coming together from across Asia. 

The 5th AMN Patient Forum

On October 16, myeloma patient groups from across Asia came together to share and learn from their individual experiences. In attendance were 82 representatives from patient groups in China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. As in past years, the AMN Patient Forum was chaired by AMN Executive Member Dr. Daryl Tan of Raffles Cancer Center, Raffles Hospital in Singapore.
 

This year the Patient Forum benefited from a presentation by a government official, Dr. Daisaku Sato, Councilor of the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Dr. Sato explained the streamlined procedures being adopted for drug approval in Japan and paid tribute to the work of the Japan Myeloma Patient Society in helping to promote improved access. He also pledged to help facilitate Japanese involvement in AMN clinical trial projects.

Presentations were made by Diane Moran (IMF Interim CEO and Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning) on IMF patient support activities and by Kyoko Joko on the extensive work of the Japan Myeloma Patient society, the oldest such group in Asia.

The Patient Society Reports were led by Dr. Tan. It was satisfying to see the continued growth by the newer patient societies in Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. Impressive progress was demonstrated by the more established groups in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Singapore. For the first time, a report was provided from India, where several patient groups are cooperating with the Indian myeloma physician group (IMAGe).

Lively discussions followed in sessions of the Working Groups on patient empowerment, what to expect from a support group, how to work with physicians, and fundraising. Participants exchanged information and identified follow-upproject requirements, which are being pursued.

The AMN Patient Forum was supported by industry partners, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Sanofi, as well as Chinese companies BeOne, J&J-China,  Pfizer-China, Sanofi-China, and Takeda-China.

The 9th AMN Summit

On October 17–19, the 9th AMN Annual Summit was Asia’s largest gathering ever of myeloma specialists, with 186 participants from all 11 countries and regions of the AMN: China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. This year, the AMN Summit was expanded by one additional day to allow for more sessions and in-depth discussions. 

The Summit was co-chaired by AMN Chair Dr. Wee Joo Chng of Singapore and AMN Executive Member Dr. Shinsuke Iida of Japan. The Summit keynote address was delivered by AMN International Expert, Dr. Andrew Spencer of Australia on “Blood Based Diagnosis and Monitoring.” Sessions that followed covered Optimal Frontline Treatment of Multiple Myeloma, Mass Spectrometry, Immune Therapy, Novel Treatments, and Other Plasma Cell Disorders.

The second day of the Summit began with a breakfast session of the newly formed AMN Young Investigators Committee, a group of 21 leading young Asian hematologists representing all 11 countries and regions of the AMN under the leadership of AMN Deputy Chair, Dr. Hiroshi Handa of Japan. This committee gathers feedback from younger members into the work of the AMN. Several project ideas were identified to be pursued. 

In addition, four Working Groups were convened: Infection and Side Effects (led by Dr. James Chim of Hong Kong and Dr. Jeffrey Huang of Taiwan), Immunotherapy (led by Dr. Iida and Dr. Juan Du of China), New AMN Research (led by Dr. Kihyun Kim of Korea and Dr. Chng), and Resource Stratified Guidelines (led by Dr. Tan and  Dr. Uday Yanamandra of India). Consensus guidelines as well as several new AMN projects will be produced in follow-up to  
these sessions.

The Summit also reviewed the status of AMN Clinical Trials led by Dr. Chandramouli Nagarajan of Singapore and Dr. Dok Hyun Yoon of Korea, as well as the Status of the AMN Tissue Bank led by  Dr. Chng and Dr. Handa. The final session of the AMN Summit considered future directions for membership, outreach, and cooperation with other regions,  as well as future plans for the AMN Summit, AMN Master Class, AMN Patient Forum, and AMN clinical trials. The 10th AMN Summit and 6th Patient Forum will be held in Shanghai on October 15–18, 2026. 

The 6th AMN Master Class will be held in Singapore on July 2–5, 2026. 

The AMN Summit was supported by industry partners. Platinum level: Bristol Myers Squibb, Glaxo Smith Kline, and Sanofi; Gold level: Binding Site, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer; Silver level: AbbVie, IASO, Regeneron, and Sebia; Local level: Becton Dickenson, Chugai and ScBio, as well as Chinese companies.

2025 AMN Distinguished Service Award

Dr. James Chim is the recipient of the 2025 AMN Distinguished Service Award, established in 2023 to recognize and honor the lifelong achievements of myeloma specialists who have made a significant impact in the field of research, clinical trials, and patient support. Dr. Chim is a world-renowned myeloma expert, a member of the IMF International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a founding member of the AMN, the founder and current chair of the Hong Kong Society of Myeloma, and the founder of Hong Kong Myeloma Care and Share patient group. 

“I am deeply honored, profoundly humbled, and truly grateful to receive this year’s Asian Myeloma Network Distinguished Service Award… Since dedicating my research to myeloma in 2004, I have witnessed remarkable advances in treatments for the disease. The establishment of the AMN has been pivotal to progress in our region. Through the AMN, myeloma patients in Asia can access cutting-edge treatments. The AMN is a vibrant community of international colleagues and friends, united by our shared commitment to advancing myeloma care. I am most privileged and honored to participate in this transformative journey,” said Dr. Chim. 

“I have known Dr. Chim for many years. He has contributed greatly to our understanding of myeloma. I thank and congratulate him for his service to the field,” said IMF Chairperson of the Board  Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar. “Dr. Chim has contributed so much to the development of myeloma care and research in Asia. We are so grateful for all he has done. He is truly deserving of this award,” noted AMN Chairman Dr. Wee Joo Chng. 

AMN Summit and AMN Patient Form Leave a Lasting Impact

The AMN Summit and the AMN Patient Forum have been extremely successful, generating a lasting impact not just within the Asian region but across the global myeloma community. The IMF extends its warmest gratitude to all AMN members and Patient Forum attendees, and to our industry partners. The AMN is also deeply grateful to the international experts who helped guide the work of the Summit: Dr. Shaji Kumar, Dr. Tom Martin,  Dr. Mohamad Mohty, and Dr. Andrew Spencer. The AMN also thanks the IMF team along with Jinsil Lee of Lotte/JTB and Minako Unno, Rita Li and Ryohei Asano of Destination Asia, and  volunteers from the Nagoya Convention

At the culmination of the 8th Annual Asian Myeloma Network Summit in Seoul on Sunday, October 20, there were invaluable gems that attendees took with them from this year’s largest gathering of myeloma specialists, patients, and caregivers in Asia.  

Here are some of the highlights from the 4th AMN Master Class and Patient Forums, and most importantly, from the 8th AMN Summit. 
 

The 4th AMN Master Class: October 17-18 

The 4th AMN Master Class was formally opened by Dr. Wee Joo Chng, AMN Chairman and Senior Consultant at the National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System in Singapore. 
 
As of October 2024, the AMN has 192 members from China, Hong Kong, Japan, S. Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.  
 
This year’s Master Class program was highly successful in educating young and in-training myeloma doctors about the basics of myeloma and myeloma care, with 49 attendees from China, India, Japan, S. Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. 
 
Topics ranged from Global MM Diagnostic Criteria, Prognostic Factors, Risk Stratification; Treatment Options in Asia for Newly Diagnosed Transplant-Eligible and Transplant-Ineligible MM Patients; Treatment Options in Asia for RRMM; CAR T-Cell Therapy and Other Immune Therapy Options; and Infection and Side Effects.  
 
The 4th AMN Master Class gave participants the opportunity to present clinical cases which were reviewed by an expert faculty. 
 
At the end of the program, a Master Class Exam was conducted for the participants, followed by a certificate ceremony during the Master Class dinner. 

The 4th AMN Patient Forum: October 18 

Patient groups from across the region came together to share and learn from their individual experiences. The Patient Forum had 58 representatives from myeloma patient groups from China, Hong Kong, S.Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. 
 
IMF President & CEO and 28-year myeloma patient Yelak Biru did a presentation on IMF Patient Support Activities while IMF Senior Vice President of Business Relationship Management Diane Moran, RN, MA, EdM helped the participants familiarize themselves with the AMN Patient Tool Kit.  
 
This was followed by Patient Society Reports led by Dr. Daryl Tan (Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital—Singapore). 
 
Remarkable growth was seen among the newer members (Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand), while impressive progress was observed in the more established groups (China, Hong Kong, S. Korea and Singapore). The Korean Blood Disease Cancer Association led the way by providing numerous insights to their success.  
 
Another highlight was the four working group sessions (i.e., Establishing a Society, Developing a Program, Working with Physicians, and Fundraising) in which the participants exchanged information and identified follow-up project requirements. 
 

The 8th AMN Summit: October 18-20 

The 8th AMN Summit was the main event, with AMN Chairman Dr. Wee Joo Chng leading the way in raising ideas for follow-up work (including real world – natural history studies); creating an AMN registry; launching new clinical trials (especially for high-risk patients); bridging therapy; and working on new or revised AMN treatment guidelines, to name a few. 
 
Notably, myeloma experts from India participated in the AMN Summit for the first time. 
 
IMF Chairperson of the Board S. Vincent Rajkumar of Mayo Clinic delivered a keynote address on “Improving Outcomes with Limited Resources.”  
 
Sessions of the summit covered the Latest Updates on Treatment of Myeloma, High Risk Myeloma, Immune Therapy — Real World Data, Improving Access to Treatment, and the AMN Summit Working Group Sessions. 
 

Dr. Wenming Chen: AMN Distinguished Service Awardee 

The evening of October 19th concluded with the 2024 AMN Summit Award Dinner, with Dr. Wenming Chen receiving the AMN Distinguished Award from IMF Chairperson of the Board Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar.  
 
Dr. Chen is the second recipient of this prestigious award, an important milestone in the continued development of this regional initiative. With the increasing recognition of the AMN’s body of work, this award provides a spotlight to honor leading Asian myeloma specialists. 
 
Dr. Chen’s outstanding contributions in the field of myeloma make him truly deserving of this international recognition. The IMF looks forward to more achievements and milestones from Dr. Chen in the AMN.  
 

Working Group Reports and Looking Ahead 

The summit focused on reports from the Working Groups: Infection and Side Effects, Immunotherapy, New AMN Research, Status of AMN Clinical Trials, and Status of the AMN Tissue Bank.  
 
After delivering the reports, the next session discussed future directions of the AMN in terms of membership/outreach/cooperation with other regions, future arrangements for the AMN Summit, Master Class and Patient Forum, as well as AMN clinical trials.  
 
Overall, it was a truly enriching and successful AMN Summit this year—generating a lasting impact not just within the Asian region, but across the global myeloma community.  
 
We all look forward to the 2025 AMN Master Class, AMN Patient Forum, and AMN Summit which will take place in Nagoya, Japan from October 16-19, 2025. 
 
The IMF extends its warmest gratitude to the AMN members and the AMN Master Class and AMN Patient Forum attendees. 
 
Also, kudos to the hard work and preparations made by IMF Senior Vice President of Global Affairs Daniel Navid, IMF Executive Vice President of Research and Operations Lisa Paik, and IMF staff members. 

A summary report from the 7th Annual Asian Myeloma Network (AMN) Summit which took place in person from October 19-22 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The IMF’s Asian Myeloma Network (AMN), comprising 166 experts from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, held its 2023 annual series of meetings on October 19–22 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The AMN carries out significant research in myeloma. Currently, there are eight AMN clinical trial projects across the region. The AMN also conducts physician training and provides patient support. The AMN has also recently launched the virtual Asian Tissue Bank, providing a catalog to share biobank testing results online, a first initiative under the IMF’s International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) planned global Biobank. AMN members also participate in the global Immune Therapy Registry for myeloma.

Asian Myeloma Network (AMN) Annual Summit

The AMN Summit has become the most sought-after invitation for Asian myeloma doctors. In order to maintain a workshop format, the 7th AMN Summit in Bangkok limited participation to 104 doctors from the region, with active support from observers from 13 industry partners.

Cutting-edge research information was provided by international and Asian speakers, including the faculty from the AMN Master Class for Asian hematologists. Following a keynote address by Dr. Bruno Paiva, discussions were held on the latest developments in sessions devoted to “Cure vs. Control,” “Immune Therapy,” “MRD,” “New Therapeutic Agents in Development,” and “Smoldering Myeloma/Screening.” Thereafter, the meeting broke into working groups to develop AMN projects and Asian treatment guidelines on the themes of “Infection,” “Bone/Imaging in Asia,” “Smoldering Myeloma/Screening,” and “Other Plasma Cell Disorders.”

The Summit reviewed the status of the AMN Clinical Trials and the AMN Tissue Bank, and concluded with an analysis of priority needs for treatment in Asia based on resource availability.

For the first time, the AMN Summit honored one of the AMN members, Dr. Kazuyuki Shimizu, recognizing his long and excellent service in the fight against myeloma in Asia. Dr. Shimizu is the first recipient of the AMN Distinguished Service Award.

AMN Master Class

The 3rd AMN Master Class was a two-day intensive training program for mid-level Asian hematologists. The recent course in Bangkok featured 44 on-site participants from all AMN countries and regions, as well as 20 participants joining virtually from a studio in Beijing. The international faculty included Dr. Brian G.M. Durie, Dr. Wee Joo Chng, Dr. Jean Luc Harousseau, Dr. James Chim, Dr. Jeffrey Huang, Dr. Thomas Martin, Dr. Kihyun Kim, and Dr. Hiroshi Handa.

In addition to lectures and discussions on diagnostic criteria, prognositic factors, and risk stratification, as well as existing treatment options in Asia and new options including immune therapy, case studies were analyzed, and a course exam administered, with certificates provided to the successful participants.

Given the success of the AMN Master Class, plans are being made to expand this activity significantly in the future.

AMN Patient Forum

The one-day 3rd AMN Patient Forum provides the opportunity for patient organization representatives from the AMN countries and regions to meet and compare experiences.

In Bangkok, some 40 representatives were present from eight of the AMN countries and regions. Led by AMN expert Dr. Daryl Tan ofSingapore, each group presented its activities with lessons learned from the successful Korean Blood Disease Cancer Association showcased. During the Forum, the IMF unveiled the AMN Patient Tool Kit, providing myeloma patient informational materials and brochures in several local languages.

In an open discussion on future needs, priority project activities in each country and region were identified for follow-up attention.Yelak Biru (IMF President & CEO) explained the work of the IMF’s Global Myeloma Action Network (GMAN) and encouraged the Asian groups to participate in this work.

Adjacent to the Patient Forum, the Thai and Korean groups held a bilateral meeting establishing a cooperative program for implementation in 2024.

The 2023 AMN annual events held in Bangkok were extremely successful, solidifying the IMF’s preeminent position for myeloma work in Asia. We thank our industry partners for supporting these initiatives and activities. Platinum Sponsors: Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Sanofi. Gold Sponsors: Abbvie, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, and Binding Site. Silver Sponsors: Antegene, GSK, Pfizer, and Sebia. Local Sponsors: BeiGene and Takeda China.