Product News: Binding Site Partners with the International Myeloma Foundation Initiative to ‘Cure Myeloma’

Freelite® and Hevylite® will help the Black Swan Research Initiative® find the best treatment to cure multiple myeloma

Binding Site, a Birmingham, UK, based In-Vitro clinical diagnostic company, is pleased to announce that it has been chosen as an important diagnostic partner in the Black Swan ‘cure myeloma’ Research Initiative, sponsored by the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF).

The initiative will co-ordinate an international collaboration led by an elite team of world experts in the field of multiple myeloma. This expert panel have identified the tools that they will use to help them confirm the various drug regimens that will help achieve a path to the cure, including the use of Binding Site’s Freelite® and Hevylite® tests. Freelite® is the only test approved by the International Myeloma Working Group for quantifying serum free light chains, and Hevylite® is an exciting new development aimed at improving patient monitoring. These unique blood test technologies are used throughout the world to assist physicians in understanding multiple myeloma patients’ course of disease and, importantly, the quality of their response. Together, these tests have been the subject of over 2,500 peer reviewed papers.

‘It’s very exciting to see the progress we’re making with the Black Swan Research Initiative, and it’s quite possible that we will begin to cure a sub-set of patients in the not too distant future,’ says Susie Novis, President and Co-founder of the IMF.

Dr Stephen Harding, Research and Development Director at Binding Site commented ‘We have a total commitment to research in this field and Binding Site is delighted to support this IMF initiative aimed at improving patient outcomes’.

About Freelite® and Hevylite®

Freelite® is a unique polyclonal antibody-based test, specifically designed by Binding Site to accurately and precisely measure monoclonal free light chains in blood. Free light chains are produced in a variety of haematological (blood) cancers including multiple myeloma and related conditions such as amyloid, light chain myeloma, oligo-secretory myeloma and intact immunoglobulin myeloma. The introduction in 2001 of the Freelite® tests into clinical laboratories changed the paradigm for patients – whereby the use of the tests has made a major contribution to a better understanding of these disease conditions and their outcome.

Freelite® is CE marked and cleared for its clinical use by the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) and many other regulatory agencies including Brazil, Canada, Japan, South Korea and throughout the EU.

Hevylite® is a further unique set of patented polyclonal antibody-based tests designed by Binding Site to accurately measure intact monoclonal heavy chain molecules that are also produced in certain types of blood cancer, including those related to multiple myeloma. The introduction of Hevylite® into the clinical laboratory has opened a new window into the understanding of the biology of myeloma diseases. Recent publications have shown that Hevylite® has additional clinical utility which offers valuable insight into the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma.

Hevylite® is CE marked and cleared for its clinical use in monitoring patients with multiple myeloma by the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA).

More about the International Myeloma Foundation

Celebrating its 23rd anniversary, the International Myeloma Foundation reaches more than 350,000 members in 120 countries worldwide. A non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients and their families, the IMF focuses on four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. To date, the IMF has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned hotline, and established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is www.myeloma.org. Follow the IMF on Twitter @IMFmyeloma.