Access and Research

Access and research

Canadian myeloma research at 19^th International Myeloma Society (IMS) Annual Meeting

The IMS Annual Meeting took place in Los Angeles from August 25-27, 2022. The meeting brought together international clinical and experimental scientists involved in the study of myeloma.

Myeloma Canada attended this important meeting and we are so encouraged by the progress being made in myeloma, not only around the world, but within our country. Having myeloma researchers from Canada present to an international audience of peers was a true moment of pride and badge of honour for our country.

Please see this month’s editorial from Martine Elias, Myeloma Canada’s Executive Director, to learn more on Myeloma Canada’s observations from the meeting, the difference between oral and poster presentations, and Canada’s impact on myeloma research.

Canadian oral presentations

1. Exploring APOBECs as therapeutic vulnerabilities in multiple myeloma

Dr Florian Kuchenbauer, Terry Fox Laboratory – BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC
With funding from Myeloma Canada

Dr Kuchenbauer presented his work on developing a new risk scoring system, the Editor/Inflammation (EI) score, that uses genetic profiling of dysregulated enzymes (APOBECs) to better stratify newly-diagnosed myeloma patients who could benefit from autologous stem cell transplantation.

For more information, please see Myeloma Canada’s 2021 Impact Report.

2. The impact of marginalization on treatment receipt and overall survival in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients in Ontario: a population-based cohort study

Dr Alissa Visram, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON
With funding from Myeloma Canada
Winner of the Myeloma Canada “Dr Andrew R Belch Myeloma Education and Enriched Training (MEET) Grant”. For more information on the Grant, click here.

Dr Visram showed that disparities in access to early treatment, due to social economic status, do exist in a universal healthcare system (e.g., Ontario/Canada). More studies are required to better understand the exact barriers to early treatment within this context.

For more information, please see Myeloma Canada’s 2021 Impact Report.

3. Joint mutations in BCMA extracellular domain mediate resistance to BCMA targeting immune therapies

Dr Holly Lee, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
Winner of the Myeloma Canada “Dr Andrew R Belch Myeloma Education and Enriched Training (MEET) Grant”. For more information on the Grant, click here.

BCMA protein on myeloma cells is a therapeutic target used by several myeloma immunotherapies. Dr Lee showed that an extremely small change (mutation in one amino acid) in the BCMA protein can lead to anti-BCMA therapy resistance. The results support the development of myeloma immunotherapies that use more than one target and asks the important question of whether a patient’s myeloma cells should be tested before receiving anti-BCMA immunotherapy.

Canadian poster presentations

1. Moving from Research Priorities to Clinical Research: Implementing the Results of a Priority Setting Partnership on Multiple Myeloma

(Read the poster here)

Samantha Fowler, Horizon Health Network, Saint John, NB
Funded by and co-developed with Myeloma Canada
Winner of the Myeloma Canada “Dr Andrew R Belch Myeloma Education and Enriched Training (MEET) Grant”. For more information on the Grant, click here.

The results of this essential study are the backbone for Myeloma Canada’s 2022-2023 Research Strategy.

For more information, please see Myeloma Canada’s 2021 Impact Report.
To learn more about how Myeloma Canada is funding research as a result of the PSP, click here .
To learn more about the PSP, click here.

2. Identification of misclassified multiple myeloma patient risk subgroups with a novel biological disease stratifier (Read the poster here)

Afsaneh Panahi, Terry Fox Laboratory – BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC
Winner of the Myeloma Canada “Dr Andrew R Belch Myeloma Education and Enriched Training (MEET) Grant”. For more information on the Grant, click here.

3. 18F-FDG PET/CT Can be Used to Predict Progression in Smouldering Multiple Myeloma Patients (Read the poster here)

Dr Alissa Visram, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON

4. Assessing the association between body mass index at diagnosis and the risk of progression in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (Read the poster here)

Dr Alissa Visram, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON

5. Theprevalence and outcomes of frail older adults in clinical trials in multiple myeloma: A systematic review (Read the poster here)

Dr Hira Mian, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

6. Adverse event patterns and management with pomalidomide, dexamethasone, and daratumumab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: a safety analysis of the phase 2 MM-014 study (Read the poster here)

Dr Nizar Bahlis, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB

7. Treatment attrition rates in multiple myeloma (MM): A Canadian Myeloma Research Group (CMRG) analysis (Read the poster here)

Dr Arleigh McCurdy, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON

COVID-19 vaccine and the BA.1, BA.2 and BA.4/5 variants

There was some talk at the IMS Meeting regarding myeloma and COVID-19 vaccines.

While the findings discussed are not yet published, data being reviewed seems to suggest that even after a 3^rd dose, original COVID-19 vaccines (those developed for the original Wuhan COVID-19 variant) do not provide adequate protection against the COVID-19 omicron variants (BA.1, BA.2, BA.4/5).

Those being treated with any myeloma therapy have particularly low protection against BA.4/5 that is currently dominant in circulation. Vaccines or antibody therapies specific for BA.4/5 may be helpful for achieving protection.

Please be sure to discuss the importance of vaccination or other COVID-19 prevention strategies, with your healthcare team.

For an overview of the research presented, please consult resources from:

1) Our colleagues at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF):

MMRF webcast video summaries

MMRF blog daily highlights:

2) The Video Journal of Hematological Oncology (VJHemOnc): VJHemOnc videos

For any questions or additional information please contact Gabriele Colasurdo, Myeloma Canada’s Director of Science and Research, at gcolasurdo@myeloma.ca .

Si vous préférez recevoir vos communications en français, écrivez-nous à contact@myelome.ca.

Myeloma Canada's mission: To improve the lives of Canadians impacted by myeloma through awareness-building, educational efforts, advocacy, fostering an empowered myeloma community and support of clinical research so that a cure may be found.