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With the recent news in the United States of the April 12, 2024, Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC)’s unanimous vote in favor of using minimal residual disease as an early endpoint for accelerated approval in multiple myeloma clinical trials, I’d like to elaborate on what this vote means for…
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2024 ASCO and EHA Meetings Feature Four Phase III Clinical Trials and More!
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
Two very important annual medical meetings are held every spring, back-to-back, by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the…
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The International Myeloma Foundation held a Patient and Family Seminar at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City from August 16-17, 2024.
The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) once again, gathered doctors, patients, and families in Los Angeles to share stories and connect with those…
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As a member of the IMF’s Nurse Leadership Board, I understand the vital role care partners play in ensuring myeloma patients follow their treatment plans.
Care partners, also known as caregivers, are indispensable in the journey of living with myeloma. Whether it’s one dedicated person or…
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What you need to know and what’s different this time around with COVID-19.
It’s been all over the news for the past month.
Another summer COVID-19 surge means that myeloma patients and their families will, once again, need to exercise extra caution to protect…
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The Declaration of Maui for Diverse Myeloma Trials Clinical trials are a critical part of drug development in myeloma and have led to the approval and use of nearly 20 new agents in myeloma over the last 20 years. I often think of the major advances in myeloma as being the 4 “Ts”…
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Key Insights from Dr. Urvi A. Shah's Live Q&A on Myeloma and Nutrition
In March 2024, Myeloma Specialist and Hematologist-Oncologist Dr. Urvi A. Shah (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center-New York, NY) hosted a…
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Last week, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) announced that IMF Co-Founder Dr. Brian G.M. Durie will no longer continue his role of Chief Scientific Officer with the organization.…
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With summer vacations in full swing, it is important to step back and celebrate the best moments of our lives, the victories whether large or small (or hard-to-find) to find joy for the future.As I've written about countless times before in my …
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The 15th Annual IMWG Summit was held from June 10-12, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.
The agenda for this year’s IMWG Summit set the stage for the emergence of new platforms—paving a way to plan forward, improve outcomes, and achieve a cure.
From early diagnosis to managing difficult-…
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The IMF Iceland Cycling Expedition (ICE): A Rigorous Journey to End Myeloma
As the wind whispers through the rugged Icelandic terrain, a group of determined individuals prepare to embark on a journey unlike any other. Their mission: to pedal across this breathtaking landscape, not just for…
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Resilience, the ability to be strong in the face of adversity, is increasingly needed to deal with the many issues which emerge when faced with the diagnosis of myeloma.
As I have stated so many times before, the ongoing care for myeloma is a marathon, not a sprint…
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FDA Panel Unanimously Backs MRD as Myeloma EndpointWhat is the ODAC and What Did They Vote On? On Friday, April 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held an…
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The State of Myeloma in 2024 Two new FDA approvals and promising clinical trials bode well for the future By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer The pace of change in the field of myeloma is incredible! New…
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Some very important and exciting news for the myeloma community ensued late last week.
The much-awaited outcome of the March 15th FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) public advisory meeting is finally here.
On Friday, March 15, panelists at the advisory meeting…
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FDA to decide on Carvykti by April 5th, no date set yet for Abecma. European Commission (EC) approves Abecma for early treatment of RRMM in the European Union (EU) on March 20.
On Friday, March 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held an…
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On Friday, March 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the release of …
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Research at ASH 2023: Health Equity and the Patient Experience
Insights from the 2023 American Society of Hematology annual meeting
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
The…
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This title has had a long history and was coined by IMF co-founder Susie Novis Durie when she first established the Caregiver Breakout Sessions in the IMF’s Patient and Family Seminars but more on that later.
Currently, it seems that “care partner” is in vogue to describe those assisting…
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For myeloma patients, “cure” is a magical word. It’s like a coveted pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that disappears like a mirage in the desert as you get closer. This is why it’s very important to have a clear understanding of what “cure” really means and how close we are to…
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STUDIO CITY, CA September 4, 2026 — It is with great sadness that the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) shares news of the passing of Dr. Robert A. Kyle at age 98 — the Father of Myeloma and a highly-revered expert in the field of myeloma research.Dr. Kyle has served as a…
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As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was signed into law in 2022, patients with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans can now “benefit from lower prescription drug costs and a…
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In 2023, we learned about Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, including the chatbot that was based on a large language model (LLM) called Chat GPT, where we can ask questions and sometimes, get crazy answers.
Despite concerns about hallucinating computers and…
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Positive topline results from the Phase 3 CERVINO trial showed etentamig significantly improved response rate and PFS in patients with triple-class exposed relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. On Thursday, September 3, AbbVie announced positive topline results from the Phase 3 CERVINO trial…
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As we near the end of 2023, I think everyone is ready for a break from an exhausting year.
We came through the COVID pandemic and still remain on alert for what the future may bring. We celebrated the FDA approval of exciting new immune therapies while grappling on how to best use them…
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ELREXFIO (elranatamab-bcmm) Approved By FDA
This exciting new bispecific antibody is now available to patients in the clinical setting
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
On August 14, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…
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The 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition will take place from December 9-12 in San Diego, California and online.With more than 7,000 accepted abstracts “representing the most cutting-edge science in hematology,” myeloma scientific content for this year’s ASH will be jampacked in…
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TALVEY (talquetamab-tgvs) Approved By FDA
FDA approves the first bispecific antibody targeting GPRC5D and CD3 in patients with RRMM
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
On August 9, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted…
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As the Asian Myeloma Network’s (AMN) 7th Annual Summit wrapped up in Bangkok on Sunday, October 22nd, I realized that what happens in Asia does not just affect or stay in Asia.
As I will summarize, there are wonderful benefits that came from the 3rd Doctor…
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As we head into Fall/Autumn, clear planning is essential in order to protect ourselves from a potential COVID-19 infection, as well as from the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and the flu virus.
Additionally, awareness of important new developments in myeloma research and treatments is…
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Several historic events occurred this week: It has been 22 years since the 9/11 attacks happened in New York City; FDA approval and CDC endorsement/recommendation of the use of updated COVID-19 vaccines against current and active variants; and significant new findings in myeloma research as…
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For the past 3 years, there has been a pent-up demand to return to the normality of in-person meetings and activities.
There was great excitement leading up to and during the recent Patient and Family Seminar, which was held in Los Angeles from August 18-19. Despite the impending…
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COVID-19 cases are definitely on the rise around the world and scientists are worried about a a new variant— the highly mutated BA.2.86 (or Pirola, as nicknamed in social media), as well as “subvariant of interest” EG…
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As we head towards Fall, a new COVID-19 subvariant EG.5 (nicknamed Eris) is rapidly becoming the dominant strain across the United States, based on the latest data from the…
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Is It Time to Bring the CAR Home Early?
Studies of CAR T-cell therapy demonstrate promise earlier in the course of myeloma
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell…
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With new information emerging from ASH 2022 and more recently, from ASCO 2023, the 2023 IMWG Summit and EHA 2023 annual meetings, this question comes to mind: How has myeloma care changed?
The answer may surprise you, as we review the impact on recommended testing and the…
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During the height of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, some people became tragically very sick whereas, around 20% of individuals had no symptoms whatsoever.
Why did some people rapidly clear the COVID-19 virus from their system?This question has been taken up by a group of researchers at the…
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As we move solidly from Spring into Summer, we can certainly celebrate the opportunities for some downtime and vacation, but it seems that we are confronted with many challenges.
According to a report from the…
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It’s the middle of the year—the best time to provide a mid-year science update on the status of myeloma care, especially with the recent conclusion of several very important events this month: the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago, IL and the European…
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With multiple Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools available (e.g., Open AI’s Chat GPT, Microsoft’s Bing, and Google’s Bard), there is much to be learned on how to use these huge resources to their full advantage.
But the backdrop to this is an array of warnings from prominent tech industry…
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A bit of good news this week for the myeloma community: a recent breakthrough in myeloma research was made by a group of Spanish researchers.
Headed by Dr. Bruno Paiva (University of Navarra—Pamplona, Spain), a group of…
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These days, there is so much discussion about what to eat but not so much about what NOT to eat. Newly proposed laws in California and New York State will seek to prohibit manufacture and sale of products which contain additives that have been linked to cancer and other…
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On Monday, April 10, President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional legislation that officially ended the COVID-19 national emergency.
However, the public health emergency is still in place but is set to expire on May 11th. With the public health…
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After outliving his predicted survival from terminal cancer, Professor of Neuroscience David J. Linden (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine—Baltimore, MD) wondered if what he calls his “extra innings” were linked to his “hopefulness and curiosity.”
In an…
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In February 2020, the looming COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold globally.
This prompted the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) to reformat its in-person Patient and Family Seminar (PFS) which was scheduled to happen in March. We had to adapt to the situation by holding a Zoom meeting instead…
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(This blog was originally published on February 29, 2012, with information updated for the benefit of our readers.)
Sometimes, it takes very bad news to get people to make necessary changes in their lives. Someone diagnosed with lung cancer might finally give up the 2-…
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All myeloma patients want to avoid relapse. However, even with our best newer options, relapse comes at some point for most patients.
The great news is that first remissions are getting longer and longer— into the 4- to 5-year range or better. The menu for relapse…
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Jack Aiello's Myeloma Journey
An interview with Jack Aiello, multiple myeloma patient and San Francisco / Greater Bay Area Multiple Myeloma Support Group facilitator
How did your journey with myeloma begin?
It began with an excruciating backache, for which I was…
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Key Takeaways from the 2022 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Conference
What myeloma patients and family and friends need to know
I am pleased to share with readers of Myeloma Today an overview of the top abstracts of interest presented during myeloma sessions at the 64th Annual…
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Disparities in Multiple Myeloma
The Annual Meeting & Exposition of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) is an important platform for presenting groundbreaking research in myeloma. This overview of the December 2022 meeting is focused specifically on health disparities.
Myeloma…