| Dear Friend: We are pleased to provide you with the August 2005 edition of the MMRC Update. This monthly briefing was created to keep you informed of the MMRC's progress toward its ultimate goal of accelerating drug development and improving patient outcomes. We hope you find this newsletter informative and we welcome any feedback you may have. For more information, contact us at info@themmrc.org. Thank you for your support of the MMRC. |
In order to accelerate accrual of tissue samples into the MMRC Tissue Bank, a direct-to-patient program is now under development that enables myeloma patients to donate their tissue to the MMRC Tissue Bank. The initial pilot of the program was introduced in Myeloma Focus, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's newsletter. Program materials, including a brochure and a website, have been developed and are now under review by all MMRC Member Institution's Institutional Review Boards. Click here to view the brochure.
Using a panel of 12 extensively characterized myeloma cell lines, the Validation Core, led by Leif Bergsagel, MD, Mayo Clinic, has developed an initial screen for drug efficacy in myeloma. Several existing drugs with known efficacy (and inefficacy) have now been screened against the cell line panel to form a basis of comparison for future compound validation studies. "With the development of this cell line panel, we now have an excellent tool to screen potential new drug candidates and help prioritize them for further study by the MMRC," said Dr. Bergsagel.
The MMRC is pleased to welcome Edward J. Phillips, a myeloma patient and Chairman of Millennium Import LLC, to its Board of Directors. "The MMRC's unique research platform spans the drug discovery and development pathway--from the validation of effective new therapies to the early clinical testing of these therapies," said Mr. Phillips. "I am truly honored and proud to play a role in advancing this innovative model by serving as a member of the MMRC Board of Directors." Mr. Phillips was also appointed to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's Board of the Directors.
