First participant in Europe joins new myeloma trial at UCLH

UCLH has recruited the first patient in Europe for an early phase trial of a potential new medicine for patients that have a specific sub-type of multiple myeloma (MM), a type of bone marrow cancer.

This study is enrolling people whose prior treatments for MM are no longer working.

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue at the centre of some bones that produces the body’s blood cells. MM damages the bones and affects the production of healthy blood cells.

Current treatment for MM often helps to control the condition for several years, but in most cases, MM cannot be cured. Research is vital therefore to help find new treatments.

Dr Rakesh Popat, consultant haematologist at UCLH and honorary associate professor at UCL with specialist expertise in multiple myeloma, leads the study at UCLH. Dr Popat is also the Cancer Lead at the NIHR UCLH Clinical Research Facility where the study is being conducted.

The aim of the trial is to study the safety and efficacy of the investigational medicine known as BGB-11417, or Sonrotoclax, either given on its own; in combination together with a drug called dexamethasone or with both dexamethasone and an anti-cancer drug called carfilzomib. It may also be tested later in the study in combination with other anti-cancer drugs such as pomalidomide and daratumumab.

Sonrotoclax is designed to block a protein called B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Bcl-2 helps certain blood cancer cells multiply and grow. By blocking Bcl-2, Sonrotoclax may slow or stop blood cancer cells replicating and allow natural cell death to occur, thereby causing blood cancer cell death.

Dexamethasone is a type of corticosteroid and one of the most frequently used medications in the treatment of multiple myeloma in combination with anti-cancer drugs such as carfilzomib.

This research study is conducted and funded by BeiGene, Ltd. It is supported by the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre.

Dr Popat said that: “One of the key aims of cancer treatment is to personalise treatment according to the molecular type of cancer. To date, this has been challenging in myeloma, but this trial sets out to specifically target abnormalities in patients with a specific genetic sub-type of MM, found in 15-20% of cases. I am pleased that the NIHR UCLH Clinical Research Facility is supporting this study and enabling us to continue to investigate new treatment options for myeloma”.

For more information on the study, please visit Study Details | A Phase 1b/2 Study of BGB-11417in Monotherapy and in Various Combinations With Dexamethasone and Carfilzomib in Multiple Myeloma | ClinicalTrials.gov

For more information about research at NIHR UCLH CRF: NIHR UCLH Clinical Research Facility.