IMF Person
Peter Anton is a global marketing and communications leader with over 30 years of experience driving strategy, brand growth, and audience engagement across startups and major corporations. He currently leads global marketing and communications for the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF),…
IMF Person
Betty Arevalo is a licensed vocational nurse (LVN). For three years prior to joining the IMF, she provided patient care at CHA-Presbyterian Medical Center and at a convalescent home for disabled and subacute patients in Los Angeles. At the IMF, Betty helps maintain the computer database and stock…
IMF Person
Lisa Paik is currently Executive Vice President of Research & Operations for the IMF and serves as the point person for the International Myeloma Working Group's (IMWG) projects and programs, including the Immune Therapy Database Registry and Retrospective Historical Control Projects. In her…
IMF Person
Dr. Joseph Mikhael is a Professor in the Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope Cancer Center. Dr. Mikhael is a consultant hematologist and Director of Myeloma Research at the HonorHealth…
IMF Person
Diane Moran, RN, MA, EdM, is an experienced nurse with advanced degrees in education and organizational management, and a highly accomplished healthcare executive with more than two decades in the pharmaceutical industry prior to joining the IMF in April 2006.
IMF Person
Founder and President of hospitality firm Boho, Robinson which owns and operates Swift House Inn and Jessica’s restaurant in Middlebury Vermont. Prior to founding Boho, Robinson, he spent more than 25 years in senior executive posts in the entertainment industry at Twentieth Century Fox in Los…
IMF Person
Mr. Newman has been an entrepreneur since starting his first company while a college undergraduate in 1961. He has been instrumental in the development of the secondary user market for used wireless handsets and founded a company that collected over 50,000,000 used cellular phones. He is currently…
IMF Person
S. Vincent Rajkumar, M.D., is the Edward W. and Betty Knight Scripps Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. He is recognized internationally as a leading authority in the field of plasma cell disorders and chaired the Mayo Clinic group from 2006-2016. Dr. Rajkumar is Chair…
IMF Person
Mr. Kuzneski is currently active in the insurance, investment, and banking industries. He is a Principal at Kuzneski Financial Group, an insurance broker, and President of Greyhawk Capital, a provider of equity capital and advice to seed and early stage growth companies. He is also President and…
IMF Person
George T. Hayum graduated from Princeton University with honors from its Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He continued his work in this area on a Fulbright Fellowship in France. Mr. Hayum obtained his law degree from Yale Law School, where he served as Professor Alexander…
IMF Person
Jason S. Katz is Head of Marketing Technology at Shutterstock and Founder of Growth Marketing Advisors LLC. As a creative executive, he brings with him ~20 years of marketing and technology experience in both Fortune 100 and startups. As a member of the IMF Board of Directors, Jason carries on the…
IMF Person
Loraine Alterman Boyle joined the IMF board after her husband, famed actor Peter Boyle, passed away from myeloma in 2006. She began chairing the IMF’s annual Comedy Celebration benefiting the Peter Boyle Research Fund in 2007. She enlisted his Everybody Loves Raymond…
IMF Person
Martine Elias is the Chief Executive Officer of Myeloma Canada, the only patient-driven, grassroots organization bringing the Canadian myeloma community together and promoting a strong, unified national voice for people living with multiple myeloma. In addition, Martine is Chair of the Collective…
IMF Person
Christine Battistini is the President of the International Myeloma Foundation Latin America and President, Instituto Espaço de Vida.
IMF Person
Susie Durie: Founder and Advocate for Myeloma Patients
In 1990, Susie Novis Durie founded the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) along with her late husband, Brian Novis and Dr. Brian G.M. Durie, with these key objectives in mind: advancing myeloma research; and…
IMF Person
Dr. Brian G.M. Durie (1942-2025) was a co-founder of the International Myeloma Foundation and a Hematologist/Oncologist specializing in multiple myeloma and related disorders at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was former Medical Director of Myeloma Research for the Academic…
News Article
by Beth Faiman, PhD, MSN, APN-MC, AOCN (Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland)
As a myeloma patient, your healthcare team consists of your hematologist-oncologist, your general practitioner, possibly another specialist you may see for comorbid health conditions, and of course…
News Article
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Last week, the IMF partnered with Amgen and the world of baseball in a pair of…
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Tiffany Williams sees "the silver lining" of her multiple myeloma diagnosis, as "not taking time for granted...It’s the here. It’s the now. Tomorrow isn’t promise, and remembering that on a daily basis."
Videos
In this week’s video, Dr. Brian G.M. Durie details the results of the STORM 2b trial, which uses selinexor in combination with dexamethasone to treat multiple myeloma patients who are refractory to IMiDs, proteasome inhibitors, and daratumumab.
BOTTOM LINE:
Selinexor will…
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Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that occurs when healthy plasma cells become abnormal, leading to the production of abnormal antibodies. This change can result in a range of medical problems that affect the bones, kidneys, blood, and the immune system.Complications in the Bone MarrowBone marrow…
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What Is the Durie-Salmon Staging System? Staging was first used in diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer by measuring the size of a solid tumor. The staging system used for solid tumors does not apply to blood-based cancers like myeloma.In 1975, the Durie-Salmon Staging system was first…
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The Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Award was first presented on June 12, 2018. Named for IMF Co-Founder Dr. Brian Durie (1942-2025), this award recognizes excellence in multiple myeloma research. Dr. Durie was also the Medical Director for AMyC and a Specialist in Multiple Myeloma…
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The International Myeloma Working Group’s (IMWG) summaries focus on guidelines and statements about certain aspects of multiple myeloma. The IMWG's research on multiple myeloma studies its causes, how to stage the disease, and how to achieve remission. The following are a few of the…
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Making the Diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma Unlike many cancers, the diagnosis of active myeloma that requires therapy is based upon a combination of factors. A bone marrow biopsy (or biopsy from a tissue site where myeloma may have spread) is an essential part of the diagnosis.…
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REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) is an immunomodulatory drug (IMiD). It was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 for use with the steroid dexamethasone in adult patients with myeloma who had received at least one prior therapy. In 2015, the FDA expanded this indication to a…
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THALOMID® (thalidomide) is an oral immunomodulatory drug, an agent that can modify or regulate the immune system. It has both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Thalomid was first used to treat multiple myeloma in 1997. It was officially approved for use in treating myeloma in…
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Funding promising myeloma researchIn 1995, the IMF established the Brian D. Novis Research Grant program in memory of its co-founder. The grants are awarded annually to promote research into all areas of myeloma in an effort to improve patient outcomes. To date, the IMF has funded more than 100 of…
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Since 2003, the IMF has honored an outstanding physician each year with the Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award. The award, named for its first recipient, is presented to an individual whose body of work in the field of multiple myeloma has made significant advances in research, treatment,…
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KYPROLIS® (carfilzomib) is the second agent in a drug class called proteasome inhibitors approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012 for the treatment of myeloma.
What Are the Indications for Treatment with Kyprolis?
Kyprolis is approved by the FDA in the…
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Melphalan (U.S. brand name Alkeran) is a chemotherapy drug commonly used in treating multiple myeloma. It belongs to the class of drugs known as alkylating agents, which inhibit DNA and RNA synthesis, causing the death of both dividing and non-dividing tumor cells. It has been used to treat MM…
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In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved NINLARO® (ixazomib) for the treatment of adult patients with myeloma who have received at least 1 prior therapy. Ninlaro is the third proteasome inhibitor approved by the FDA since 2003, and it is the first proteasome inhibitor …
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POMALYST® (also known as pomalidomide, its generic drug name) is an immunomodulatory agent taken by mouth in capsule form. It is the third immunomodulatory agent to receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in myeloma: thalidomide was approved in 2003, Revlimid® (…
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The IMF's Signature Project to Find a CureThe Black Swan Research Initiative® (BSRI®) was established following a scientific brainstorming meeting linked to the IMWG Summit held in Amsterdam in 2012. The meeting occurred in a remote boathouse to ensure privacy and an excellent focus…
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International Staging System for Multiple MyelomaDeveloped in 2005 by the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), the ISS was built on clinical and laboratory data from 10,750 previously untreated myeloma patients across 17 institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia. It uses two readily…
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VELCADE® became the first in a class of drugs called proteasome inhibitors to be approved by the FDA for use in myeloma.
Who Is a Candidate for Velcade?
Velcade (bortezomib) is approved by the FDA for use throughout the myeloma disease course, in combination with nearly all other FDA-…
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How International Myeloma Organizations Make a Difference
Myeloma organizations worldwide serve as vital partners in improving outcomes and quality of life for patients across different regions. country-specific resources for those outside the United States, from education and advocacy…
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EMPLICITI® (elotuzumab) is the first monoclonal antibody approved to treat multiple myeloma. It is given intravenously (into the vein, IV) and taken in combination with the medicines Revlimid® (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone, in…
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About the International Myeloma FoundationFounded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the world’s leading organization dedicated to multiple myeloma.Our Mission:The IMF is steadfast in our mission: Accelerating the prevention and cure of myeloma and improving the…
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Why Legal Help Matters for Myeloma PatientsAccess to knowledgeable legal support can help patients and families during the critical stages of their myeloma journey: Address insurance disputes: If treatment areas are denied or coverage is unclear, legal…
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The Making Miracles newsletter shares your volunteer stories. We feature interviews and spotlights of Member FUNdraisers who make a difference for multiple myeloma patients in their own communities as well as for all those affected by this disease.
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The IMF produces and maintains an extensive library of up-to-date educational publications and periodicals for patients and caregivers, as well as for healthcare professionals. All IMF publications are always free of charge and are available to download by clicking the links below.
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Darzalex® (daratumumab) is the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody that targets the CD38 protein on the surface of myeloma cells. What Is Darzalex?Darzalex® (daratumumab) is a laboratory-made monoclonal antibody designed to function like a naturally occurring antibody. It targets a specific…
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The Black Swan Research Initiative® (BSRI) is the International Myeloma Foundation's signature research program aimed at developing a definitive cure for myeloma. Led by a team of global myeloma experts, the BSRI provides coordination and support for more than 40 research projects around the world…
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Published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON), this article covers the pathophysiology of myeloma-related oncologic emergencies as well as provides a guide for the assessment and intervention of such emergencies.
Multiple myeloma patients may present with oncologic emergencies,…
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Multiple Myeloma News and Press Releases
Find the latest news and information on multiple myeloma here.
Up-to-the-minute news on multiple myeloma and relevant information for the myeloma community: FDA drug approvals, IMF press releases, research news from ASH and ASCO, changes in U.S.…
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Published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON), this article is a guide for assessing and managing bone disease, pain, and mobility in patients with multiple myeloma during various junctures in the course of the disease.
About 85% of multiple myeloma patients develop bone disease.…
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Many tests are used to assess proteins and other substances in the blood of multiple myeloma patients. These tests measure levels of blood calcium, total protein, serum beta-2 microglobulin, LDH, C-reactive protein, and blood glucose. They are used to monitor the disease and its potential…
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Multiple Myeloma DrugsMultiple myeloma treatment options include many different medications and therapies. Learn more about medications for multiple myeloma according to their drug class.What Drugs Are Used to Treat Multiple Myeloma?Multiple myeloma drugs fall into various drug classes,…