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Disease

Multiple Myeloma

Late-stage therapeutic developmentEmerging researchRising momentum
22
Publications
23
Clinical trials
4
Related conditions
3
Related treatments
10
Related proteins
2024
Latest publication
Current focus
Antibodies biologyB-cell maturation biologyTherapeutic developmentGenetics & risk factorsInflammation & immunity
Latest activity
beta

Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.

Approval: Blenrep (EMA)

Regulatory2025-07-23EMA

Approval: Lynozyfic (EMA)

Regulatory2025-04-23EMA

Approval: Pomalidomide Teva (EMA)

Regulatory2024-11-14EMA

What's happening now

An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.

Executive briefingUpdating summary…Momentum: High
Key developments
  • 4 clinical trials expected to report results, the earliest in Q4 2027.
  • 2 safety actions from EMA issued.
Major developments
Major safety communicationImportant
Celdoxome pegylated liposomal is indicated in adults: as monotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer, where there is an increased cardiac risk. or treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in women who have failed a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy regimen. in combination with bortezomib for the treatment of progressive multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least one prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for bone marrow transplant. for treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) in patients with low CD4 counts (< 200 CD4 lymphocytes/mm3) and extensive mucocutaneous or visceral disease. Celdoxome pegylated liposomal may be used as first-line systemic chemotherapy, or as second line chemotherapy in AIDS-KS patients with disease that has progressed with, or in patients intolerant to, prior combination systemic chemotherapy comprising at least two of the following agents: a vinca alkaloid, bleomycin and standard doxorubicin (or other anthracycline).2025-09-22
Clinical Milestones14View all 14
+6 more in the activity timeline below
Regulatory Updates2View
  • 2025-09-22Market withdrawal — DoxorubicinCeldoxome pegylated liposomal is indicated in adults: as monotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer, where there is an increased cardiac risk. or treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in women who have failed a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy regimen. in combination with bortezomib for the treatment of progressive multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least one prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for bone marrow transplant. for treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) in patients with low CD4 counts (< 200 CD4 lymphocytes/mm3) and extensive mucocutaneous or visceral disease. Celdoxome pegylated liposomal may be used as first-line systemic chemotherapy, or as second line chemotherapy in AIDS-KS patients with disease that has progressed with, or in patients intolerant to, prior combination systemic chemotherapy comprising at least two of the following agents: a vinca alkaloid, bleomycin and standard doxorubicin (or other anthracycline).
  • 2025-08-07Market withdrawal — BortezomibBortezomib Hospira as monotherapy or in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or dexamethasone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with progressive multiple myeloma who have received at least 1 prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib Hospira in combination with melphalan and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib Hospira in combination with dexamethasone, or with dexamethasone and thalidomide, is indicated for the induction treatment of adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib Hospira in combination with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma who are unsuitable for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Activity timeline16

Therapeutic landscape

Therapies with a regulatory footing for this condition, alongside the wider set of agents co-studied with it in the literature.

Approved & established therapies

Approval — Blenrep is indicated in adults for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myelo… (2025)

Approval — Monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myel… (2025)

Pomalidomideapproved

Approval — Pomalidomide Teva in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone is indicated in the tr… (2024)

Elranatamabapproved

Approval — Elrexfio is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed an… (2023)

Research-associated treatments

Clinical trials

10 sponsors · 2 new · 4 completed in the last 12 months (net +2)

The current development programme across all trial phases.

Clinical programme
23
All trials
6
Active
17
Late-stage
6
Completed
Late-stage studies
Recently completed

Regulatory timeline

Drug regulatory events matched to this condition by indication — EMA.

First approvals
2025emaApprovalBelantamab mafodotin· Blenrep is indicated in adults for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy; and in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy including lenalidomide. source ↗
2025emaApprovalLinvoseltamab· Monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least 3 prior therapies, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. source ↗
2024emaApprovalPomalidomide· Pomalidomide Teva in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior treatment regimen including lenalidomide. Pomalidomide Teva in combination with dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior treatment regimens, including both lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy.  source ↗
2024emaApprovalPomalidomide· Pomalidomide Accord in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior treatment regimen including lenalidomide. Pomalidomide Accord in combination with dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior treatment regimens, including both lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy.  source ↗
2024emaApprovalPomalidomide· Treatment of adults with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior treatment regimen including lenalidomide. Pomalidomide Zentiva in combination with dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior treatment regimens, including both lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. source ↗
2024emaApprovalPomalidomide· Pomalidomide Krka in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior treatment regimen including lenalidomide. Pomalidomide Krka in combination with dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior treatment regimens, including both lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy.  source ↗
2024emaApprovalPomalidomide· Pomalidomide Viatris in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior treatment regimen including lenalidomide.Pomalidomide Viatris in combination with dexamethasone is indicated in the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior treatment regimens, including both lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. source ↗
2023emaApprovalElranatamab· Elrexfio is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, who have received at least three prior therapies, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 antibody and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. source ↗
Safety updates
2025emaMarket withdrawalDoxorubicin· Celdoxome pegylated liposomal is indicated in adults: as monotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer, where there is an increased cardiac risk. or treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in women who have failed a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy regimen. in combination with bortezomib for the treatment of progressive multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least one prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for bone marrow transplant. for treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) in patients with low CD4 counts (< 200 CD4 lymphocytes/mm3) and extensive mucocutaneous or visceral disease. Celdoxome pegylated liposomal may be used as first-line systemic chemotherapy, or as second line chemotherapy in AIDS-KS patients with disease that has progressed with, or in patients intolerant to, prior combination systemic chemotherapy comprising at least two of the following agents: a vinca alkaloid, bleomycin and standard doxorubicin (or other anthracycline). source ↗
2025emaMarket withdrawalBortezomib· Bortezomib Hospira as monotherapy or in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or dexamethasone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with progressive multiple myeloma who have received at least 1 prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib Hospira in combination with melphalan and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib Hospira in combination with dexamethasone, or with dexamethasone and thalidomide, is indicated for the induction treatment of adult patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma who are eligible for high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib Hospira in combination with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma who are unsuitable for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. source ↗
2024emaMarket withdrawalBelantamab mafodotin· Blenrep is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma in adult patients, who have received at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least one proteasome inhibitor, one immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. source ↗

European Medicines Agency (CC BY 4.0). Events are matched to this condition by drug indication text — approvals/updates for drugs indicated for it, not disease-specific acts.

Research activity

22 papers

Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.

Publications over time
20112024
Most influential
Recent publications
Major themes8
  • Multiple Myeloma10
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive5
  • Receptors, Chimeric Antigen5
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes2
  • B-Cell Maturation Antigen1
  • DNA Copy Number Variations1
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease1
  • Genome-Wide Association Study1
Leading journals6
  • The New England journal of medicine5
  • Frontiers in immunology3
  • Journal of hematology & oncology3
  • Nature communications2
  • Blood1
  • Blood cancer journal1
Leading researchers8
  • Anderson KC4
  • Jagannath S4
  • Madduri D4
  • Berdeja J3
  • Einsele H3
  • Jakubowiak A3
  • Lin Y3
  • Lonial S3
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute3
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center3
  • Abramson Cancer Center2
  • Harvard Medical School2
  • Lincoln Medical Center2
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center2

Disease biology

10 matches

Key proteins & gene products studied in this disease. Number shows shared papers.

Related conditions

4 matches

Diseases frequently studied alongside this one. Number shows shared papers.

Disease profile

A grounded synthesis of the condition — overview, causes, mechanism, risk factors and current standard of care.

Overview

Multiple myeloma is a malignancy of mature plasma cells that produces a monoclonal immunoglobulin. It is characterized by excess monoclonal light chains in the urine, skeletal destruction, bone pain, fractures, anemia, hypercalcemia, and renal insufficiency.

Causes

The supplied grounding supports an etiologic focus on genetics, but it does not specify a particular cause or causal pathway. No additional cause is supported here.

Pathophysiology

The disease arises from malignant plasma cells that engage in monoclonal immunoglobulin production. The literature grounding also highlights immune and antigen-directed biology, including CD38 and BCMA expression on myeloma cells and the use of CAR T cells, monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and bispecific T-cell engagers to target these cells.

Risk factors

The supplied grounding does not identify specific risk factors for developing multiple myeloma. It only indicates that the literature covers genetics, immunology, mortality, complications, therapy, drug therapy, and etiology.

Current standard of care

Treatment is described at the modality and drug-class level as immunotherapy and drug therapy for relapsed or refractory disease, including thalidomide, lenalidomide, and elotuzumab. The grounding also supports CD38-targeting monoclonal antibodies, BCMA-targeted therapies such as CAR T cells, antibody-drug conjugates, and bispecific T-cell engagers.

AI-generated summary grounded in MeSH and 6 peer-reviewed sources. Informational only — not medical advice. Generated 2026-07-07.

Reference

Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.

Defined in MeSH

A malignancy of mature PLASMA CELLS engaging in monoclonal immunoglobulin production. It is characterized by hyperglobulinemia, excess Bence-Jones proteins (free monoclonal IMMUNOGLOBULIN LIGHT CHAINS) in the urine, skeletal destruction, bone pain, and fractures. Other features include ANEMIA; HYPERCALCEMIA; and RENAL INSUFFICIENCY.

References & data sources
  • Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
  • Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
  • Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
  • Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.