International Myeloma Society: ASCO and EHA Signal a Pivotal Moment in Multiple Myeloma Research

As breakthrough data continue to reshape the field, researchers are working to define what cure means in myeloma, and how earlier intervention, treatment sequencing, and deeper responses could help more patients reach that goal.

Statement from Dr. Shaji Kumar, MD, Vice President, International Myeloma Society

“The data presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting and the research soon to be presented at the 2026 Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) reflect a pivotal moment for multiple myeloma. For decades, myeloma has been understood as an incurable cancer. Today, a growing number of patients are achieving deep, durable remissions, including some who are living off therapy for extended periods of time. The question facing the field is no longer simply whether myeloma can be controlled, but how we define cure, how we identify which patients have reached it, and how we make that outcome possible for more people.

ASCO offered a powerful look at how quickly the science is advancing. Data from studies including MajesTEC-9, SUCCESSOR-2, DREAMM-9, DREAMM-7, and DREAMM-8 showed continued progress across bispecific antibodies, CELMod-based regimens, and antibody-drug conjugate combinations. These advances are expanding the number of options available to patients and moving the field closer to more personalized approaches that match the right therapy to the right patient at the right time.

EHA will now help sharpen some of the most urgent questions facing the field. New data, including the Phase 3 MONUMENTAL-3 trial selected for EHA’s Plenary Abstracts Session, will contribute to ongoing discussions about how to sequence and combine increasingly powerful therapies, how to improve outcomes for patients with high-risk disease, and how early in the disease course clinicians should intervene. Emerging research in smoldering myeloma is especially important, as investigators explore whether treating some patients before active disease develops could meaningfully alter the course of myeloma.

This is an exciting moment, but it is also a complex one. While some patients may already be experiencing outcomes consistent with cure, myeloma remains incurable for many, and the field still needs to better understand how durable the deepest responses are, which patients benefit most from specific approaches, and how to ensure scientific progress translates into longer, better lives for patients.

The International Myeloma Society looks forward to continuing these conversations at EHA and bringing the global myeloma community together at the 23rd IMS Annual Meeting in Glasgow later this year. Coming on the heels of a landmark ASCO and a pivotal EHA Congress, IMS 2026 will be an important moment for researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, and patient advocates to synthesize a year of breakthrough data and help define the next era of myeloma research and care.”

About the International Myeloma Society
The International Myeloma Society is the only global society focused on Myeloma research and clinical care.  The non-profit organization is committed to improving outcomes for myeloma patients through scientific exchange, education, advocacy, and research. Representing thousands of experts across more than 60 countries, IMS convenes the world’s foremost myeloma scientists to accelerate cures, foster collaboration, and transform patient care.  The organization places a specific emphasis on funding research (with $15.64 Million Provided), advancing access to clinical care and Myeloma research in low-to-middle income countries, and creating opportunities for early career researchers.

Media Contact:
Taylor Hallabuk
imsmedia@denterlein.com