T. Feys MBA, MSc

Advances in laboratory technology

For the “Advances in Laboratory Technology” session, the BHS invited two excellent scientists to discuss novel laboratory techniques that are ready – or almost ready – to enter routine haematological clinical practice. First, Dr. Peter J.M. Valk (Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands) talked about novel techniques for minimal residual disease (MRD) testing in haematological patients. Subsequently, Dr. Barbara Dewaele (University Hospital Leuven, Belgium) shared her experience on optical genome mapping in acute myeloid leukaemia and acute lymphoid leukaemia.

Management of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukaemia

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a disease of the elderly, with more than 75% of cases being diagnosed at 55 years or older. In these patients (>60 years), the disease prognosis is poor compared to younger patients. During the 2023 General Annual Meeting of the Belgian Hematology Society, Dr. Fabio Andreozzi (Jules Bordet Institute, Belgium) discussed the management of these elderly AML patients, with a focus on prognostic assessment, current treatment options and future perspectives.

Pierre Stryckmans Memorial Lecture – Immunology and immune tolerance after HSCT

The annual Pierre Stryckmans Memorial Lecture at this years’ BHS-GAM was presented by Prof. Dr. Gérard Socié (Hematology Transplant Hospital St. Louis, Paris, France). Dr. Socié was awarded for his huge contributions in the field of haematology. At the annual BHS GAM meeting, he first presented an overview of recent clinical trials studying the prophylaxis or treatment of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Thereafter, he switched to translational research and shared his knowledge on the search for effective biomarkers for GVHD severity and response to treatment, followed by some data from multi-omics analyses to thoroughly dissect GVHD.

Ethics & Economy – How to get a drug reimbursed in Belgium?

The journey a drug makes from the laboratory to the patient’s bedside is very long. After years of clinical research and development, a lengthy administrative procedure needs to be completed. It starts with the granting of a marketing authorisation by the EMA and is followed in Belgium by a reimbursement decision. In order to get a better view on how a drug gets reimbursed in Belgium, Diane Kleinermans (RIZIV-INAMI, President CRM/CTG, Brussels), Marjan Willaert (Policy Advisor – Market Access, Pharma.be, Brussels), and Hanne Wouters (Market Access Advisor, Pharma.be, Brussels) gave an overview on the evaluation and review by the commission for reimbursement of medicines (CRM).

Bispecific monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of lymphoma and multiple myeloma

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) represent a promising new treatment modality for many patients. Several clinical trials with BsAbs have emerged over the past years, either evaluating these agents monotherapy or in combination with other drugs. BsAbs offer an off-the shelf alternative for CAR-T cell therapy and have already been used successfully as salvage therapy after CAR-T cell failure. First, Prof. Guillaume Cartron (CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier) gave an update of the use of BsAbs in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Thereafter, Prof. Nathalie Meuleman (Hôpital Erasme, ULB) shared her expertise and gave an overview on the use of bispecifics in multiple myeloma.

Highlights in multiple myeloma

SUMMARY

Over the last decades, we have witnessed tremendous advances in the management of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Not surprisingly, also the 2022 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) featured a wide range of abstracts dedicated to this plasma cell disorder. This article will discuss some of the most important MM related abstracts presented at this years’ meeting, including promising data generated with bispecific antibodies and CAR-T cell therapy and results of clinical trials evaluating ‘curative strategies’ in patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). In addition, this summary discusses someinteresting observations from the Icelandic iSTOPMM initiative and touches upon two innovative techniques to assess minimal residual disease (MRD) on peripheral blood in patients with MM. Finally, results of a study assessing a dexamethasone-sparing treatment regimen in frail patients with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) will be addressed.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2023;14(1):19–25)

Highlights in transplantation

SUMMARY

In this overview, we present what was new in the field of haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) at ASH 2022. Key messages were that all AML patients – even those without complete remission – are eligible for HCT and that there is a donor for (virtually) everybody thanks to the use of post-transplant cytarabine and abatercept. Furthermore, first-line acute graft-versus-host disease treatment in standard risk patients is feasible without corticosteroids or with low-dose corticosteroids. Finally, it was reported that a non-restrictive diet does not increase infections in patients with neutropenia after stem cell transplantation.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2023;14(1):26–9)