Multiple Myeloma, Shift in Drug Discovery Targeting Protein Homeostasis

June 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Multiple myeloma is a cancer that occurs when one type of white blood cell reproduces uncontrollably and causes damage to other organs. Approximately 60,000 people in the United States have multiple myeloma and more than 20,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Unfortunately multiple myeloma is currently incurable. The average survival time from diagnosis is approximately 4-10 years.

Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company (http://www.millennium.com) has developed and marketed VELCADE (IV and SC), for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma and with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma.

Patients are in desperate need for drugs that are efficacious and limited in toxicity; new targets in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway offer these opportunities. Dr. Anderson will be presenting his latest findings at the fourth-annual Ubiquitin Drug Discovery & Diagnostics conference in Philadelphia, to be held from July 23rd to 25th at the Four Seasons Hotel. He will speak on proteasome inhibitors as well as USP7 inhibitors, a target developed by Progenra, Inc. (http://www.progenra.com).

Over the last two decades, Dr. Anderson has focused his translational research studies on multiple myeloma. His team led both preclinical and clinical trials of novel proteasome inhibitors that offer great promise to improve patient outcomes in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. In 2011, Dr. Anderson was presented with the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award for his significant clinical research in multiple myeloma.

The conference will enable members of the academic, pharmaceutical, biotech and business communities to exchange ideas and listen to world experts in ubiquitin-based drug discovery, development and diagnostics.

For updated program information, and details on speaking and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.ubiquitinconference.com