Shortt review on encouraging trial for multiple myeloma treatment
Professor Jake Shortt
Professor Jake Shortt, the Head of Haematology Research at Monash’s School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, reviewed the science behind a clinical trial reported by Richardson et al on the activity of mezigdomide in multiple myeloma.
Professor Shortt explains that the findings from Richardson et al are underpinned by greater scientific understanding of how drugs of mezigdomide’s class engage target proteins within myeloma cells. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that occurs when plasma cells in the bone marrow become mutated and multiply, and it remains incurable. Professor Shortt highlights the importance of drug-target engagement research for multiple myeloma, as cancerous plasma cells have been found to develop resistance to such treatments.
Professor Shortt unpacks the science behind more familiar drugs called IMiDs (immunomodulatory imide drugs), which are integral to the treatment of myeloma patients. He then explains how the activity of mezigdomide – a CELMoD (cereblon E3 ligase modulatory drug) – differs and how CELMoDs ‘evolved’ from the IMiD class. Essentially, mezigdomide has the capacity to combat IMiD-resistant cells, which may lead to more positive outcomes in patients who have developed disease progression while on other treatments.
Here is the paper documenting Professor Shortt’s review in The New England Journal of Medicine.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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