Dr. Paul Shami, MD Huntsman Cancer Institute Interview Date: January 22, 2016 

Dr. Paul Shami, MD of the Huntsman Cancer Institute shares his work on a new drug called JS-K, now in development for multiple myeloma and other cancers including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), liver cancer, brain cancer and other solid tumors. The drug works in four ways to kill myeloma cells: it kills the tumor cells directly, it prevents the vascular (blood vessel) system from feeding the cells to stop growth, it stimulates the cells to put a signal (CD155) on their top so that the immune system natural kill (NK) cells can do their job and it prevents the bone marrow microenvironment from facilitating future growth. The drug has been studied by multiple scientists in centers like that of Dr. Ken Anderson at Dana Farber and is making its way through the very thorough drug development process to come to the clinic. The drug is currently at the toxicology study stage so that it can obtain FDA approval to enter a phase 1 clinical trial. Dr. Shami shares his work to make this new drug a reality in the myeloma clinic and how its use may be effective in combination with bortezomib (Velcade) and elotuzumab (Empliciti). 

Thanks to our Episode Sponsor, Takeda Oncology