Pre-ASH Blog: Virtual to Hybrid: 63rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition to Highlight Progress of Critical Research

Dec 7, 2021 | Yelak Biru

Hybrid virtual conference

On December 12, 2021, there were 545 open and recruiting clinical trials on the clinicaltrials.gov website. There are over 800 #ASH21 abstracts with the word #myeloma in them.  There was a four-fold increase in Google’s keyword trend for #myeloma after the death of Secretary of State General Colin L. Powell. Over 750,000 men, women, and children have died in the US and over 5 million worldwide due to the #COVID19 pandemic. Delta and Omicron COVID variants continue to humble and teach us that collaboration is key to overcoming. 

Google Keyword Search Trend for Myeloma 

The FDA approved the first BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma, Abecma® (idecabtagene vicleucel). The hopeful approval for the second CAR T, cilta-cel, had been delayed by three months but is expected in Q1 of 2022.  

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) 63rd Annual Meeting and Exposition will be held from December 11-14 in hybrid mode. As in previous years, the International Myeloma Foundation will be sending 13 support group leaders. Just like last year, these leaders will attend the conference virtually.  

This year’s ASH will highlight the progress of several critical research: 

  • MGUS and SMM – Is screening the way to go? What is the psychological impact of “knowing early?” Are African Americans at a higher risk for MGUS and as a result, myeloma? What is the effect of high-dose treatment for SMM patients? 
  • MRD-guided therapy – Can we use MRD to pause treatment? What is the impact of quadruplets on MRD? 
  • CAR T, BCMA therapies – What are the outcomes of phase 1/2 or 2/3 studies for CAR T and BCMA, such as teclistamab, and others that don’t even have a name yet? How about off-the-shelf CAR Ts to alleviate collection and production issues of CAR Ts? 
  • Maintenance – Is maintenance the way to go? Which single or double is best for maintenance? How about QOL, affordability, and impact on subsequent therapies? 

The IMF teams will be busy at ASH and will be facilitating either virtual or hybrid meetings:  

  • The Friday IMF Satellite Symposium  
  • International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Breakfast   
  • IMWG Conference Series  
  • Global Myeloma Action Network (GMAN) Summit  
  • Best of ASH Conference  

The IMF SGLs will be attending ASH virtually, so we won’t have that awkward moment of fist-bumping while someone else is extending a handshake!  

Yelak 

Sharing The Hope! 

Yelak Biru, on Twitter: @NorthTxMSG 

Submit a Comment