The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Launches MyDRUG -- First-ever Platform Clinical Trial in Multiple Myeloma

NORWALK, Conn., Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) announced today that it is launching MyDRUG, the first platform trial exclusively in multiple myeloma, which aims to investigate targeted treatments for high-risk myeloma patients. MyDRUG represents the culmination of the MMRF's Precision Medicine Model, the only end-to-end model of its type in cancer.

As a leader in precision medicine, the organization has been at the forefront of utilizing genomic information to benefit myeloma patients and accelerate cures – from being the first to develop a multi-center tissue bank which led to the first sequencing of the entire myeloma genome in 2009. This laid the foundation for the landmark CoMMpass study, the largest genomic dataset in any cancer, which identified 12 unique subtypes within myeloma. Thanks to the depth of this previous undertaking, the foundation is now able to launch the MyDRUG trial, which drives the targets identified in CoMMpass into the clinic to benefit patients. 

"MyDRUG is a major milestone for the MMRF in terms of putting precision medicine to work for patients through our unique end-to-end model, which aims to deliver the right treatment to every patient living with myeloma," said Paul Giusti, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MMRF. "This would not be possible without the groundwork of CoMMpass. Now, with the initiation of MyDRUG, we have the potential to accelerate the development of treatments for patients based on their specific genomic characteristics."

The trial will be open to myeloma patients who have relapsed within 18 months without transplant or 36 months if transplanted of starting their second line treatment. Platform trials enable the rapid testing of actionable agents in patients who might benefit; agents that do not show efficacy in targeted patient populations can be removed from the trial and other new, targeted agents can be inserted quickly and tested. The MMRF is supported by several pharmaceutical companies in the platform trial, specifically, AbbVie, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Takeda Oncology. The trial is designed to continue indefinitely, with no limitation on the number of patients enrolled or the number of new agents tested.

"The MMRF MyDRUG Study is an incredible milestone for the myeloma community and I am proud to be part of this truly collaborative effort that will accelerate the delivery of much needed new options to high-risk patients," said Dr. Shaji Kumar of the Mayo Clinic, and Principal Investigator for MyDRUG. "This trial would not be possible without the MMRF, which has the leadership to spearhead a study this complex, with so many pharmaceutical and academic partners working together for the benefit of patients."

MyDRUG will be available at 17 MMRC sites; to see the full list of sites and arms open, please visit www.themmrf.org. Additional information is available on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03732703) or through the MMRF Patient Navigators at 1-866-603-6628.

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell and it is the second most common blood cancer. An estimated 30,000 adults will be diagnosed this year and 12,600 people are predicted to die from the disease.

About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
The mission of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is to find a cure for multiple myeloma by relentlessly pursuing innovation that accelerates the development of next-generation treatments to extend the lives of patients. Founded in 1998 by Kathy Giusti, a multiple myeloma patient, and her twin sister Karen Andrews as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, the MMRF is a world-recognized leader in cancer research. Together with its partners, the MMRF has created the only end-to-end solution in precision medicine and the single largest genomic dataset in all cancers. The MMRF continues to disrupt the industry today, as a pioneer and leader at the helm of new research efforts. Since its inception, the organization has raised over $400 million and directs nearly 90% of the total funds to research and related programs. To learn more, visit www.themmrf.org.

About the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium
The Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC) is a 509 (a)(3) non-profit organization that integrates leading academic institutions to accelerate drug development in multiple myeloma. It is led from MMRC offices in Norwalk, Conn., and comprises 25 member institutions: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center Home, Beth Israel Deaconess, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville, Rochester and Scottsdale), Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, City of Hope, Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute, Levine Cancer Institute, The John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Ohio State University, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, University Health Network (Princess Margaret Hospital), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, UT Southwestern, Virginia Cancer Specialists and Washington University in St. Louis.

The MMRC is the only consortium in multiple myeloma to join academic institutions through membership agreements, customized IT systems, and an integrated tissue bank. For more information, please visit www.themmrc.org.

Contact
Anne Quinn Young, MPH
Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
203-652-0212
quinnyounga@themmrf.org

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SOURCE Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation