Myeloma News October 4, 2018 | Int'l Myeloma Foundtn

\| INNOVATION \| Latest Research FDA Approvals Provide Welcome Good News for Multiple Myeloma Patients The myeloma community got good news this week on several fronts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the marketing for minimal residual disease (MRD) testing to assess multiple myeloma patients, and once-weekly dosing of Kyprolis. In addition, the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for checkpoint-inhibitor research.
\| INSPIRATION \| Laughter	\| EDUCATION \| Event
All-Star Lineup for the IMF’s 12th Annual Comedy Celebration on Nov. 3	Register NOW for a Patient & Family Seminar in Philadelphia
We are pleased to announce an all-star lineup for the IMF 12th Annual Comedy Celebration taking place on Saturday, November 3 at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. This year’s event will be hosted by Kevin Nealon (Man with a Plan, SNL alum), featuring Cristela Alonzo (Cristela, Lower Classy), Gabriel Iglesias (Mr. Iglesias, One Show Fits All), Jim Jefferies (The Jim Jefferies Show, Jim Jefferies: This is Me Now), Natasha Leggero (The Honeymoon Stand Up Special, Another Period), and Sasheer Zamata (I Feel Pretty, Saturday Night Live), and more to be announced.	On October 1213, 2018, the IMF will host a Patient & Family Seminar at The Sofitel (120 South 17th Street) in Philadelphia. Choose between two registration packages—either attend for a half-day on Friday, or attend both Friday’s sessions and a full-day event on Saturday. This seminar will cover the latest myeloma treatments, information about stem cell transplant, managing bone disease, and other myeloma-related topics. We welcome you to meet other patients and family members who have perhaps gone through what you’re going through now. Together we can learn, build community, and share our stories

\| ADVOCACY \| Legislation A Win for Myeloma Researchers with Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDRMP) The IMF advocacy team has been successful in ensuring that myeloma researchers can continue to apply for research funding through the Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program in fiscal year (FY) 2019. Since FY2015, myeloma was not a part of the program, but IMF advocacy successfully lobbied legislators for its inclusion in FY2018, and again for FY2019! Just how did the IMF help: Our advocacy team spoke with House and Senate legislators, emphasizing the importance of myeloma research for both former service members and the entire myeloma community. As a result, a bipartisan bill was just signed by the President. This bill: Allows myeloma research to continue under the Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program through FY2018 and in FY2019 Funds an additional $10 million for the Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research in FY2019 Funds an additional $2 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) We thank members like you in the IMF community for your continued to support to help our advocacy team make change happen!
\| ADVOCACY \| Veterans Register Today for the Blue Water Navy Veterans Act of 2017 Webinar On Wednesday, October 24 at 3:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST, Veterans Against Myeloma will hold a webinar. This webinar centers around legislation to expand benefits for Agent Orange exposure to U.S. naval veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam from 1961-1975. H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017, unanimously passed the House and is currently up for consideration in the Senate. If passed, the bill would cover an estimated 90,000 Vietnam veterans who are currently required to provide proof of Agent Orange exposure during their time in service before benefits can be granted. Veterans who set foot on the soil of Vietnam or traversed the inland waterways of the country are granted a presumption of exposure, while Blue Water Navy Veterans are not. The webinar’s Guest Speaker is Mr. Paul Becker, a retired United States Navy Rear Admiral and the former Director for Intelligence, J2, Joint Staff.
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CLINICAL TRIALS	EVENTS
BOSTON Trial Fact Sheet New isatuximab Clinical Trial: the IMROZ Study New isatuximab Clinical Trial: the IKEMA Study New ixazomib Clinical Trials: Learn How to Participate Join the conversation about myeloma on the Smart Patients Message Board	October 6, 2018 IMF Regional Community Workshop Birmingham, AL October 12-13, 2018 IMF Patient & Family Seminar Philadelphia, PA October 28, 2018 Red House Carnival Somerville, MA November 3, 2018 12th Annual Comedy Celebration Los Angeles, CA March 15-16, 2019 IMF Patient & Family Seminar Boca Raton, FL

We Thank Our Sponsors:
Amgen, Celgene Corporation, Genentech, Janssen Oncology, and Takeda Oncology
and individuals like you who supported the IMF this year

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