DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Translational Pharmacology and Early Therapeutic Trials
Lymphoma and Myeloma

Research Abstract

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies are currently unavailable for human multiple myeloma (MM). I recently characterized cell surface glycoprotein CS1 (CD2 subset 1, CRACC, SLAMF7, CD319 or 19A24) to be a novel MM antigen and further investigated the potential therapeutic utility of HuLuc63, a humanized anti-CS1 mAb, for treating human MM. CS1 is universally and highly expressed on patient MM cells but not other normal tissues. HuLuc63 specifically induces ADCC against CS1-expressing MM cells and potently regress tumors in a human plasmacytoma xenograft model. We are currently defining biological function and the role of CS1 in MM pathophysiology using laboratory and animal models in order to set the stage for targeting CS1 in new MM therapies. On the other hand, we are studying BAFF/APRIL pathways in MM and test whether targeting this pathway by anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) mAb induces cytotoxicity against MM cells. These studies will help to combine mAb-based immunotherapies and small molecular inhibitors both targeting essential/key growth and survival pathways in order to maximize killing of MM cells without overt cytotoxicity. Thus, such translational researches will eventually improve patient outcome in MM.

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