Multiple Myeloma
Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a malignancy of plasma cells that typically affects multiple sites within the bone marrow. The disease is often symptomless for a long time and already advanced at the time of diagnosis. Despite these recent advances, most patients eventually relapse, and the disease remains largely incurable. Mainly affecting elderly individuals, MM is the second most common hematologic malignancy in Europe.
An important HARMONY Multiple Myeloma Research Project, conducted through the HARMONY BigData Platform, is being coordinated by the EMN, and it involves many European sites. Study centers in locations including Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Nordic countries, Germany and the UK have provided data for incorporation into the HARMONY MM datalake. The conduct of a study with such a large number of patients with MM is unprecedented in Europe.
HARMONY Big Data Platform
The HARMONY Alliance aims to improve the care for people with MM and other Hematologic Malignancies. With a data lake (>100,000 patient data sets identified) and associated advanced big data analytic tools, HARMONY’s research infrastructure is uniquely suited to address key outstanding questions about Hematologic Malignancies. Research teams are using these resources to answer critical questions that cannot be addressed with other methods.
Prognostic factors
On 7 April 2022 at 16:00 hrs (session VI), HARMONY Expert Mattia D'Agostino, University of Turin, will give a presentation entitled ‘'Cytogenetic risk factors: is it time for revision? Detection and impact of 1q & R2-ISS'’. D'Agostino is leading the HARMONY Research Project on the revision of the international staging system for MM, which is being conducted through the HARMONY Big Data Platform. Clinical outcomes for patients with MM vary greatly, with survival ranging from a few months to more than ten years. The improved risk stratification model developed by D’Agostino and colleagues facilitates a more precise estimate of patients' prognosis at the time of MM diagnosis. This may facilitate tailoring MM treatments according to individual risks.
About the EMN
In 2005, a group of European hematologists joined forces to increase their understanding of MM and develop effective research projects and clinical trials. These efforts resulted in the establishment of the European Myeloma Network (EMN), a non-profit organization. EMN is a HARMONY Partner and coordinates an important MM research project within HARMONY, involving many European partners.
#bigdataforbloodcancer: Accelerating Better and Faster Treatment for Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.
The HARMONY Alliance (HARMONY and HARMONY PLUS) is a public-private partnership for Big Data in Hematology. Our mission is to unlock and spread valuable knowledge on hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) among many stakeholders, with the goal to harness and mine Big Data to speed up the development of improved treatments for patients and more effective treatment strategies.
Receive the latest news. Click here to subscribe!
Public-private partnership for Big Data in Hematology
HARMONY and HARMONY PLUS are funded through the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), Europe's largest public-private initiative aiming to speed up the development of better and safer medicines for patients. Funding is received from the IMI 2 Joint Undertaking and is listed under grant agreement for HARMONY No. 116026 and grant agreement for HARMONY PLUS No. 945406. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).
HARMONY Coordination Office
Institute of Biomedical Research of
Salamanca (IBSAL)
Salamanca, Spain
HARMONY Communications
European Hematology Association (EHA)
The Hague, The Netherlands
