T. Feys MBA, MSc

New haematology reimbursements in Belgium

OVERVIEW OF BELGIAN REIMBURSEMENT NEWS

New haematology reimbursements in Belgium

OVERVIEW OF BELGIAN REIMBURSEMENT NEWS

BCMA targeting in multiple myeloma

SUMMARY

Over the past decade, significant progress was made in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Nevertheless, research efforts continue in an attempt to develop treatment options with novel mechanisms of action that have higher efficacy, can evade resistance to prior lines of treatment and are well tolerated. As the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is preferentially expressed by mature B-lymphocytes and is overexpressed in MM patients, it provides an interesting therapeutic target in MM. Thus far, three treatment modalities have been developed for BCMA targeting; bispecific antibody constructs, antibody-drug conjugates and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, each with its own advantages and challenges. This review provides an overview of the (preliminary) clinical data that were generated with these different treatment modalities.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2020;11(8):387-97)

State of the Art I: Venous thromboembolism

The first state of the art session of the 28^th annual BSTH meeting focussed on venous thromboembolism and was moderated by Alain Gadisseur and Kristel Vandenbosch. Prof. P-YLeRoux (physician in the department of Nuclear Medicine at the Brest University Hospital, France, and senior scientist in the Thrombosis Study group of Western Brittany) opened this session with a talk on the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism. Following up on this presentation, prof. dr. S. Konstantinides (Professor for Clinical Trials and Medical director of the multidisciplinary centre for thrombosis and haemostasis (CTH) at the University of Mainz, Germany and professor of Cardiology at the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece), turned the attention to the clinical management of pulmonary embolism.

A picture of thrombosis and haemostasis sixty years ago

The 2020 Gaston Baele Memorial lecture featured Dr. Jos Vermylen (KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium) who reflected on the state of thrombosis and haemostasis 60 years ago. In this lecture, dedicated to his former friend and colleague Gaston Baele who was president of the BSTH from 1992 until 2000, Dr Vermylen recalled his experience within the haematology laboratory at St. Rafaël Hospital, Leuven, as a 4^th year medical student in 1959.

Educational session: coagulopathy and thromboprophylaxis in COVID-19 times

Jan Emmerechts and Christelle Orlando moderated the educational session of the 28^th annual BSTH meeting focusing on the management of thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulation in critically ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof. dr. M. Levi (University College London, London, United Kingdom) opened the session with a presentation on the latest evidence on the effects of a COVID-19 infection on thromboprophylaxis and coagulopathy. This presentation was followed up by Prof. Dr. T. Vanassche (University Hospitals Leuven and McMaster University, Hamilton) who gave a brief introduction on the new BSTH consensus guideline on anti-coaguation in patients with COVID-19. Finally, Dr D.J. Arachchillage (Hammersmith hospital in Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom) discussed the challenges of anticoagulation in critical care patients and in patients on mechanical cardiopulmonary support.

State of the Art II: Immunothrombosis

The second state of the art session of the 2020 annual BSTH meeting focused on Immunothrombosis. First of all, Prof Adam Cunningham (University of Birmingham, UK) addressed the association between Salmonella infection and thrombosis, after which Assistant Prof. Kimberly Martinod (Catholic University Leuven, Belgium) discussed the role of neutrophil extracellular traps at the interface of thrombosis and inflammation. In a third and final lecture of the session, Dr. Frantzeska Frantzeskaki (Attikon University Hospital, NK University of Athens, Greece) turned the attention to immunothrombosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.