Phase 3 Clinical Trial Investigating The Need For Stem Cell Transplantation Is Recruiting Myeloma Patients – Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients under the age of 65 years are being recruited at various cancer centers across the United States for a Phase 3 clinical trial that will investigate whether stem cell transplants are necessary in the era of novel agents.  All participants will be treated with a combination of Revlimid (lenalidomide), Velcade, and dexamethasone.  Half of the patients will then also receive a stem cell transplant.  Based on the results, researchers will determine whether stem cell transplanta­tion sig­nificantly extends progression-free survival. For more information or to enroll, please see the clinical trial description.

Teleconference On Clinical Trial Participation – On Thursday, the International Myeloma Foundation will sponsor a teleconference about the importance of participating in clinical trials.  Dr. Brian Durie, a myeloma specialist at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center, will discuss the Phase 3 clinical trial comparing carfilzomib-Revlimid-dexamethasone and Revlimid-dexamethasone alone.  The call will be held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. PT.  For more information, please see the International Myeloma Foundation website.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

Dr. Peter Voorhees Joins The Myeloma Beacon’s Medical Advisor Team – Dr. Peter Voorhees, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has joined The Myeloma Beacon’s team of Medical Advisors.  Beacon Medical Advisors assist with answering medical questions posted in the Beacon’s multiple myeloma forums.  For more information about getting medical advice answered in the forums, please see these instructions.

Modified Versions Of Ecstasy Could Treat Cancer – Researchers have made modified forms of the illegal drug ecstasy (MDMA) that kill white blood cell cancers 100 times more effectively than ecstasy itself.  Ecstasy has been known to kill cancers involving white blood cells, such as multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.  However, the doses of ecstasy necessary to treat cancer would be lethal to the patient.  The new, more potent forms have the potential to be safe at therapeutic doses.  For more information, see the study in the journal Investigational New Drugs (abstract).

Teleconference On Living Well With Myeloma – Tomorrow, the International Myeloma Foundation will sponsor a teleconference about living well with multiple myeloma.  Timothy Tyler, director of pharmacy services at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, CA, will speak about drug interactions and contraindications (conditions making a particular drug or procedure inadvisable) as they pertain to myeloma treatments, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements.  The call will be held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. PT.  For more information, please see the International Myeloma Foundation website.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

Australian Myeloma Specialist Receives Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Douglas Joshua, a myeloma expert at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia, received the Robert A. Kyle lifetime achievement award last month from the International Myeloma Foundation for his work over the past 40 years in the field of multiple myeloma.  Dr. Joshua is the head of the Myeloma Research Unit and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at his hospital and has led basic and clinical research in myeloma.  For more information, see the Sydney Central.

San Diego Area Workshop For Myeloma Patients And Family – The International Myeloma Foundation will hold a free, one-day workshop for myeloma patients and their family members on August 13 in La Jolla, CA.  Myeloma specialist Dr. Morie Gertz from the Mayo Clinic and two other guest speakers will discuss topics important to myeloma patients and answer attendees’ questions.  The workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Sheraton La Jolla and will last until 3 p.m.  Lunch will be provided.  For more information or to register, see the International Myeloma Foundation website.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

Astex And MMRC Begin Phase 2 Study Of AT7519 For Myeloma – Astex Therapeutics has launched a Phase 2 clinical trial, funded by the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC), of AT7519 for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients. AT7519 is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that prevents the growth and spread of myeloma cells by interfering with cell division. Previous trials have shown it has significant anti-tumor effect. AT7519 will be tested alone and in combination with Velcade (bortezomib). For more information, see the MMRC press release.

IMF Will Hold Myeloma Patient And Family Seminar – The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will hold an educational program for multiple myeloma patients and their families on August 27 and August 28 in Universal City, CA. Doctors in the myeloma field will answer questions and cover topics such as managing side effects, current standard treatments, and on-going clinical trials. The cost for the seminar is $60 per person. For more information or to register, please see the IMF website.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

EntreMed’s ENMD-2076 Shows Anti-Myeloma Activity – EntreMed announced last week that its new cancer compound ENMD-2076 showed significant anti-myeloma activity in pre-clinical studies. EntreMed has already launched a Phase 1 study in multiple myeloma patients. ENMD-2076 prevents the growth and spread of myeloma cells by interfering with cell division. For more information, please see the EntreMed press release and the clinical trial description.

IMF Will Hold Myeloma Patient & Family Seminar – The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be holding a seminar for myeloma patients and their families August 13 to 14 in Philadelphia, PA. Myeloma experts Dr. Brian Durie and Dr. Robert Kyle are among the speakers scheduled to present during Saturday’s general session. The cost for the seminar is $60 per person. For more information or to register, please visit the IMF website.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

IMF Holds Inaugural Myeloma Summit Meeting – The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) invited leading myeloma experts to speak about the future of multiple myeloma care and treatment at their first summit meeting in North Hollywood, CA. The summit took place on the heels of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting. Topics for discussion included the use and timing of stem cell transplants, treatment goals, and the management of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage to the extremities). The summit’s working group will issue consensus statements in the near future to guide treatment and further clinical trials. For more information, please read the IMF press release.

Phase 1/2b Study Of Arno Therapeutics’ Myeloma Drug Candidate AR-42 Treats First Patient – Arno Therapeutics announced treatment of the first patient with AR-42 in a Phase 1/2b study evaluating the drug for the treatment of advanced multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and lymphoma. Researchers will evaluate the drug’s safety, activity, and dosage limits. For more information, please see the Arno Therapeutics press release and the clinical trial description.

NCI Begins Phase 2 Study Of AZD6244 In Relapsed/Refractory Myeloma Patients – The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is launching a Phase 2 trial of AZD6244, a molecule that inhibits biochemical processes important to the survival of myeloma cells. The study is evaluating AZD6244 as a treatment for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. For more information or to participate in the trial, please contact the research nurse for this study, Mary Ann Yancey, at (301) 435-9227 or , or visit the clinical trial Web page.

Boehringer Ingelheim And Micromet Announce Cooperation For Experimental Multiple Myeloma Treatment – Boehringer Ingelheim and Micromet announced last week that they will collaborate on the development of BiTE antibodies for the treatment of multiple myeloma. BiTE antibodies, which were discovered by Micromet, target the body’s immune system toward tumor cells. The two companies will conduct pre-clinical studies together. Boehringer Ingelheim will be responsible for the clinical development of the treatment. For more information, please see the Boehringer Ingelheim press release.

Celebrity Michael McKean Wins $1 Million On Jeopardy! For International Myeloma Foundation – Michael McKean, a film and television show actor, writer, and director, was the champion of last week’s Jeopardy! celebrity tournament. McKean donated the grand prize of $1 million to the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) to be used for patient and family education programs as well as multiple myeloma research. For more information, please see the IMF press release.

MMRF Grants Funding To Intellikine and Tragara Pharmaceuticals For Novel Myeloma Treatments – The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) announced last week that it will award Intellikine and Tragara Pharmaceuticals, two biotech companies based in Southern California, with $1 million each for the development of two new compounds for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Intellikine’s INK128 and Tragara Pharmaceuticals’ TG02 have both shown potential for multiple myeloma in pre-clinical studies. For more information, please see the MMRF press release.

5th Annual “Music Against Myeloma” Fundraiser To Be Held In NYC – On April 22, special musical performances will take place during the 5^th annual “Music Against Myeloma” fundraiser to the benefit of the International Myeloma Foundation. The event will take place at BLVD in New York City from 7 to 10 p.m. Advance tickets are $40. Please see the Music Against Myeloma Web site for additional information and to purchase tickets.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics To Receive Patent For ICT-69 – On March 2, ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that is developing immune-based therapies for cancer treatment, announced that it received a Notice of Allowance on its patent application for ICT-69, a monoclonal antibody that targets multiple myeloma and ovarian cancers. Generally, this notification means that a patent will be issued once the issue fee is paid. For more information, see the ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Web site.

Myeloma Awareness Month Teleconference Series – There are three more teleconferences in the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) teleconference series celebrating March as Myeloma Awareness Month. Patients, family members, caregivers, and health care professionals are welcome to join. The teleconferences provide up-to-date information regarding multiple myeloma and are held each Friday during March at 7 p.m. EST. Each teleconference will include an hour-long presentation followed by a 30-minute Q&A session on education (March 12), research (March 19), and advocacy (March 26). Please see the IMF Web site for more information.

Living With Myeloma Conference – The Arizona Myeloma Network is hosting its fourth annual “Living With Myeloma” conference on March 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Scottsdale Conference Center. Physicians and researchers, including Dr. Robert Kyle, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, will be giving invited talks. Patients, family members, caregivers, physicians, researchers, and health care providers interested in myeloma are invited. The conference, including a continental breakfast and hot lunch, is free. Heath care professionals may receive 4.5 continuing medical education credits for attending. Space is limited for the conference, and those interested in attending are urged to register quickly. For registration and more information, visit the Arizona Myeloma Network Web Site.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.

Myeloma Awareness Month Teleconference Series – Each Friday during the month of March, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be hosting a teleconference to raise awareness and provide up-to-date information about multiple myeloma. The teleconferences are scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and will include a 60 minute presentation followed by a 30 minute Q&A. Patients, family members, caregivers, and health care professionals are welcome to join. Please see the IMF Web site for more information.

NCI Designs MGUS/Smoldering Myeloma Study – Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are in the process of developing a prospective study with the goal of identifying causes of transformation from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma (both asymptomatic, pre-malignant disorders) to multiple myeloma. The study will enroll 350 patients with MGUS or smoldering myeloma in the United States and follow them for up to five years. For more information, please contact the research nurse for this study, Mary Ann Yancey, at (301) 435-9227 or yanceym@mail.nih.gov.

For a more detailed listing of myeloma related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.