MMRF Accelerator Magazine Winter 2017 Edition | Page 7

PRECISION MEDICINE STUDY: PROMISING EARLY RESULTS In 2016, the MMRF launched the Molecular Profiling Protocol. This precision medicine study aimed to sequence the DNA of 500 myeloma patients in the hopes of identifying DNA changes that could be targets for new treatments. (genetic) information is crucial to getting each patient the correct treatment for their exact disease. The early results from this study suggest that approaching treatment through precision medicine holds great promise. In the last year, 291 patients have participated in the study. Seventy-six percent of study participants were found to have DNA changes that are good candidates for new treatments. Results from this study will be presented at the 2017 American Society of Hematology meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, this December by Daniel Auclair, PhD, Senior VP of Research at MMRF. To tap into this potential, MMRF has launched clinical trials for patients with specific mutations and is planning more innovative, efficient clinical trial designs to test multiple treatments for specific populations of patients simultaneously under the same clinical protocol! This new format will allow for faster trial start-up and enrollment, which will accelerate new treatments to patients. Although more therapy choices are available than ever before in myeloma, having precise DNA “ The Molecular Profiling Protocol re-emphasizes that Precision Medicine approaches could benefit a large number of myeloma patients. Application of these approaches in the clinic has so far been limited because targeted agents are not widely available. We hope to remedy this by working closely with regulatory agencies and the myeloma community to launch additional targeted trials. ” — Daniel Auclair, PhD | Senior Vice President of Research MMRF ACCEL E RATO R • W I N T E R 2017 7