International Myeloma Society (IMS) Spotlights Breakthrough Science at 2026 Annual Meeting

New findings across next-generation immunotherapies, blood-based monitoring, and the emerging science of cure will be presented to 3000+ clinicians

Glasgow, Scotland (August 26, 2026) — The International Myeloma Society (IMS) today announced highlights of the landmark science to be shared at its 2026 Annual Meeting, taking place September 23–26 at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow. More than 3,000 myeloma researchers and clinicians from over 75 countries will examine breakthrough research from over 635 abstracts and 35 late breaking presentations, further advancing a shared research agenda and clinical practice.  The meeting occurs at a pivotal moment for myeloma care, as the field shifts from asking whether the disease can be controlled to defining, measuring, and expanding cure.

For decades, multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow that weakens the immune system, damages bones, and can impair kidney function, was considered plainly incurable. In the U.S., approximately 36,000 people are expected to be diagnosed in 2026 and an estimated 10,850 to die from the disease. Advances in therapy have steadily improved survival, where a growing number of patients now achieve deep, lasting remissions, and some remain disease-free off therapy for years, but myeloma remains complex and challenging, underscoring the importance of the science being presented at IMS 2026.

Among the most anticipated presentations selected by the IMS program committee are:

• Predicting cure (sustained-MRD analysis): A large study defining an ultra-low-risk group of patients (based on sustained MRD-negativity, genomic risk, and disease stage) who fare exceptionally well after stopping therapy, offering a data-driven framework for identifying who may be cured.
• In vivo CAR-T therapy (IASO206): First-in-human proof-of-concept for a BCMA-directed CAR-T made inside the body from a single intravenous infusion, no leukapheresis, manufacturing, or lymphodepletion, with the potential to make cell therapy far more broadly accessible.
• Dual-targeting CAR-T (BMS-986453): First-in-human results for a BCMA×GPRC5D CAR-T designed to hit two myeloma targets at once, aiming to overcome the antigen loss that drives relapse after single-target therapy, with deep responses reported in heavily pretreated patients.
• Trispecific antibody (IBI3003): A novel GPRC5D×BCMA×CD3 trispecific antibody producing durable responses in heavily pretreated, high-risk relapsed/refractory patients, pointing toward off-the-shelf immunotherapy that engages multiple targets simultaneously.
• Fixed-duration cevostamab (CAMMA 1): A time-limited bispecific-antibody regimen that produced remissions continuing well after treatment ended in BCMA-naïve relapsed/refractory patients, supporting the promise of stopping therapy without stopping benefit.
• Frontline quadruplet in transplant-ineligible patients (BENEFIT): 48-month survival analysis of isatuximab plus bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed patients not eligible for transplant, building on a regimen already reshaping the standard of care in this population.
• Treating a rare, aggressive disease (primary plasma cell leukemia): A prospective French trial pairing daratumumab-VRd with tandem stem cell transplantation for primary plasma cell leukemia, achieving high response rates in a population whose prognosis has historically been measured in months.

These featured abstracts join the meeting’s plenary session, which showcases the year’s most significant research – spanning practice-changing Phase 3 results in both newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory disease, the first in vivo–generated CAR-T in patients, and new insights into the biology that makes high-risk myeloma so difficult to treat.

“The pace evidenced across the depth and breadth of abstracts in play is extraordinary. This is a field being redrawn in real time,” said Philippe Moreau, MD, President of the International Myeloma Society. ” The research coming to Glasgow will shape how myeloma is treated, and how we talk about what’s possible for patients, for years to come. We are watching immunotherapies that once defined late-line treatment move toward the front line, cell therapies being generated inside the patient’s own body, and, for the first time, serious scientific work to define and measure cure. ”

In addition to the featured science, IMS 2026 will host expert sessions and panels on the questions now driving the field, including:

• Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: How the newest combination regimens, transplant, and maintenance strategies are reshaping first-line treatment and what curative strategies for newly diagnosed patients might look like.
• How to Treat First Relapse: Weighing CAR-T, antibody combinations, and antibody-drug conjugates at the point where treatment decisions most affect long-term outcomes, including for patients with limited access to new agents.
• Blood-Based Technology for Diagnosis and Monitoring: How circulating tumor cells, mass spectrometry, and circulating tumor DNA may reduce reliance on bone marrow biopsies and make disease monitoring more accessible and patient-friendly.
• Monitoring the Immune System and Preventing Infections and Adverse Effects: As therapies grow more powerful, how clinicians can manage immune suppression, infection risk, and toxicity so patients live longer and better with myeloma.
• Cross-society and special sessions: Joint sessions with AACR (on the microbiome’s role in CAR-T response) and EHA (on genomics and the responsible use of AI in medicine), a patient-advocacy session convening myeloma groups from around the world, and an expert debate on how to choose among CAR-T, T-cell engagers, and antibody-drug conjugates.

“The IMS Annual Meeting’s single-track format means every delegate engages with the same data at the same time, in one room,” said Dr. María-Victoria Mateos, MD, PhD, Treasurer of the International Myeloma Society. “That shared focus is how a field moves together – it turns individual breakthroughs into wide-ranging changes in clinical practice and accelerates the collaboration myeloma patients are counting on.”

As part of its commitment to recognizing leadership in the field, IMS will present its awards during the Annual Meeting. This year, Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, FASCO, of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, will receive the Waldenström Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his lasting contributions to myeloma research and patient care. Sonja Zweegman, MD, PhD will receive the Bart Barlogie Clinical Investigator Award, and Nizar Bahlis, MD will be honored with the Ken Anderson Basic and Translational Research Award. Together, these recognitions reflect the breadth of excellence advancing myeloma science and care worldwide.

To learn more about IMS 2026 and view the full program, visit: https://www.myelomasociety.org/events/23rd-ims-annual-meeting/

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About the International Myeloma Society (IMS)

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 $18.5 Million Provided), advancing access to clinical care and Myeloma research in low-to-middle income countries, and creating opportunities for early career researchers.

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