Multiple Myeloma Program

The Lipper Center and LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics encompasses a large, international team of laboratory-based and clinical investigators who are striving to find more effective therapies for multiple myeloma and, someday, a cure. At any given time, dozens of studies and clinical trials for multiple myeloma are underway.

Our program is a founding institution of the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC), which brings together distinguished researchers and world-renowned academic institutions to speed translation of research to clinical care for myeloma patients.

The center's research in the laboratory and the clinic is focused on several areas. These include investigations of the genetic abnormalities of myeloma cells; studies of the complex signaling that enables myeloma cells to grow and resist both conventional chemotherapy and novel therapy; efforts to unleash the power of the immune system against myeloma, including CAR T-cell therapy; and explorations of the way in which myeloma cells interact with their environment in the bone marrow and outside the marrow compartment. The mission of this research is to identify and validate novel targets in myeloma, so that new therapies aimed at these targets can be developed, leading to improved outcomes and a cure.

The center offers patients access to a wide range of clinical research trials. These include studies aimed at improving the outcomes of patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation; trials using agents like thalidomide and its immunomodulatory derivatives, proteasome inhibitors, which attempt to kill myeloma cells directly and also make it impossible for them to grow in the marrow "neighborhood;" CAR T-cell therapy, an approach that stimulates the immune system vs myeloma; and early intervention trials to prevent disease progression for patients with MGUS or smoldering multiple myeloma. The center also has clinical research trials evaluating supportive therapies, such as bisphosphonates.

Featured Trials

High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma

20-408: A phase 3 randomized, open-label, multicenter study of isatuximab (SAR650984) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma
Principal Investigator: Irene Ghobrial, MD

Newly-Diagnosed or Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

19-389: A phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label study to determine the recommended dose and regimen, and evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of CC-92480 in combination with standard treatments in patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
Principal Investigator: Paul Richardson, MD

Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

20-322: A phase 1/2, dose escalation safety and tolerability study of AO-176 as monotherapy and in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in adults with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma
Principal Investigator: Clifton Mo, MD

20-212: A phase 1/2 randomized, open-label platform study utilizing a master protocol to study belantamab mafodotin (GSK2857916) as monotherapy and in combination with anti-cancer treatments in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma – DREAMM5
Principal Investigator: Paul Richardson, MD

19-278: A phase 1/2 open-label study to investigate the safety and tolerability, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of TAK-573 as a single agent in patients with refractory multiple myeloma
Principal Investigator: Omar Nadeem, MD