[April 14, 2015] |
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Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, University of Torino and Adaptive Biotechnologies Work to Speed Novel Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring Technologies to Patients
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), in collaboration with
the University of Torino (UofT) and Adaptive Biotechnologies, today
announced a collaboration to perform sequencing-based assessment of
minimal residual disease (MRD) on hundreds of multiple myeloma (MM)
patients over a five year period. The purpose of this initiative is to
investigate a new approach to monitoring MRD.
This collaboration, partially supported by Amgen, will be part of the
INSIDE MM-1 study, led by Professor Antonio Palumbo from UofT. Professor
Palumbo presented promising results of an earlier study at the 2013
American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. This
earlier study, funded by a 2010 Diagnostics Investment Award from the
MMRF, set the stage for INSIDE MM-1, a groundbreaking, comparative,
clinical disease monitoring trial. More than 400 newly diagnosed MM
patients will be enrolled in INSIDE MM-1 and will receive a combination
of carfilzomib and lenalidomide, followed by a bone marrow transplant
with or without maintenance. Patients will be monitored for MRD using
both flow cytometry and Adaptive Biotechnologies' clonoSEQ™ MRD test at
regular intervals from initial diagnosis for up to five years after
initial treatment.
"The intention of INSIDE MM-1 is to rapidly and systematically assess
the accuracy and reliability of sequence-based measurements of MRD
compared to the most advanced flow cytometry methodology in a structured
manner," said Professor Palumbo of UofT. "Improving the detection of
disease response to the best available therapies with the right
technologies and as early as possible in treatment can help lead to the
most profound and durable responses for our patients."
"Adaptive Biotechnologies is pleased that the MMRF has recognized the
value of incorporating our next-generation sequencing-based approach to
measuring minimal residual disease into this important clinical study," said Tom Willis, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Diagnostic
Products of Adaptive Biotechnologies. "We are confident that the
increased sensitivity the clonoSEQ MRD test offers over flow cytometry
will be shown to have prognostic value, which will allow better
differentiation of patient responses and more personalized treatment
strategies."
Novel drugs have been recently introduced in the treatment of MM that
have led to significant improvement in quality of response and prolonged
overall survival (OS). There is increasing evidence that the depth of
response correlates with progression-free survival (PFS) and OS in both
young and elderly MM patients. In myeloma, residual tumor cells can
still be present despite the achievement of complete response.
Therefore, more sensitive techniques are needed to measure the level of
complete response.
The MMRF has initiated a series of precision medicine initiatives,
including the CoMMpass StudySM (Relating Clinical Outcomes
in MM to Personal Assessment of Genetic Profile), a
unique longitudinal, clinical-molecular study of 1,000 patients with
newly-diagnosed active MM. The purpose is to advance the understanding
of the molecular basis of the disease, as well as patient response to
myeloma therapies, and use this critical information to develop
personalized treatments that target the underlying disease biology.
Through CoMMpass, the MMRF has been assessing MRD throughout each
patient's journey with the disease using both flow cytometry and
circulating multiple myeloma cells approaches.
"This current work using Adaptive Biotechnologies' test will strongly
complement our other activities in the field of MRD and will help us
rapidly advance the most promising technology for our patients and for
the myeloma community," said Walter Capone, President and CEO of the
MMRF. "Sensitive and accurate assessment of a patient's response to
treatment is a crucial step in accelerating the development of new
therapies and bringing truly personalized treatment to patients with
multiple myeloma and other cancers."
About Multiple Myeloma (MM)
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of the plasma cell. It is the second
most common blood cancer. An estimated 26,760 adults (14,000 men and
12,760 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with MM in 2015 and
an estimated 11,240 people are predicted to die from the disease. The
five-year survival rate for MM is approximately 45%, versus 28% in 1998.
About Adaptive Biotechnologies
Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation is a platform-based,
diagnostic-driven company that leverages NGS to profile T-Cell and
B-Cell Receptors. This breakthrough enables in-depth characterization of
the adaptive immune system, which is the primary defense against cancer.
By incorporating immunosequencing into clinical care, Adaptive can
enhance the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of cancer patients. For
more information, please visit AdaptiveBiotech.com.
About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was established in 1998
as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by twin sisters Karen Andrews and
Kathy Giusti, soon after Kathy's diagnosis with multiple myeloma. The
mission of the MMRF is to relentlessly pursue innovative means that
accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma
treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure. As the
world's number-one private funder of multiple myeloma research, the MMRF
has raised $275 million since its inception and directs nearly 90% of
total budget to research and related programming
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