1. Faculty of Medicine and Health
  2. School of Medicine
  3. Research groups
  4. Myeloma UK Concept and Access Research Programme

Myeloma UK Concept and Access Research Programme

  • Group summary: In partnership with Myeloma UK, our research at the Leeds Myeloma UK CARP aims to delivery more trials, more quickly to patients with multiple myeloma and to focus on asking and answering the questions which matter most and bring earlier access to novel treatments for patients. We are the only clinical trials unit in the UK to carry out the full range of myeloma trials, from early to late phase giving more opportunities for patients to access new and innovative treatments and have a long history of successful collaborations with industry, academic institutions and charities.

What we do

Since 2009 our team at Leeds CTRU have been working in partnership with Myeloma UK to develop and implement an accelerated trials network. As a successor to this, in 2018 we established a comprehensive networkk of leading experts, hospitals and research centres across the UK to lead an early Concept and market Access trial development Research Programme (CARP). The programme aims to deliver more trials, more quickly to patients with multiple myeloma and to focus on asking and answering the questions which matter most, bringing earlier access to novel treatments for patients.

The CARP research strategy dove tails with that of the Leeds CRUK Clinical Trials Centre, also based at Leeds CTRU. Our strategy to efficiently provide a pipeline of treatments to be evaluated in our late phase multiple myeloma portfolio means we are the only clinical trials unit in the UK that carries out the full range of myeloma trials, from early through to late phase, helping ensure the maximum number of patients gain access to novel treatments. Our research pipeline is informed by exploratory analyses undertaken in our Leeds CRUK Clinical Trials Centre, such as biomarker and molecular sub-group identification.

We work with clinicians, patients, researchers and other funding partners to develop early phase myeloma clinical research aligned with the strategy and research priorities of the UK Myeloma Research Alliance. As a trusted partner of both industry and myeloma charities, we play a crucial coordinating role in designing and delivering complex trials, sometimes involving multiple drugs developed by different companies and a large number of clinicians.

In March 2021, we launched webinar series aimed at researchers wanting to learn about developing their early phase myeloma trial ideas, and how CARP fits within the wider landscape of myeloma research in the UK.

The series can be viewed via our YouTube channel

Key publications

Key publications our team has contributed to

  1. Bendamustine, thalidomide and dexamethasone combination therapy for relapsed/refractory myeloma patients: results of the MUKone randomized dose selection trial.
    Schey S, Brown SR, Tillotson AL, Yong K, Williams C, Davies F, Morgan G, Cavenagh J, Cook G, Cook M, Orti G, Morris C, Sherratt D, Flanagan L, Gregory W, Cavet J; Myeloma UK Early Phase Clinical Trial Network.
    Br J Haematol. 2015 Aug;170(3):336-48. doi: 10.1111/bjh.13435. Epub 2015 Apr 20.
     
  2. The MUK five protocol: a phase II randomised, controlled, parallel group, multi-centre trial of carfilzomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (CCD) vs. cyclophosphamide, bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone (CVD) for first relapse and primary refractory multiple myeloma.
    Brown S, Hinsley S, Ballesteros M, Bourne S, McGarry P, Sherratt D, Flanagan L, Gregory W, Cavenagh J, Owen R, Williams C, Kaiser M, Low E, Yong K; Myeloma UK Clinical Trials Network.
    BMC Hematol. 2016 May 17;16:14. doi: 10.1186/s12878-016-0053-9. eCollection 2016.
     
  3. Extended follow-up and the feasibility of Panobinostat maintenance for patients with Relapsed Multiple Myeloma treated with Bortezomib, Thalidomide, Dexamethasone plus Panobinostat (MUK six open label, multi-centre phase I/II Clinical Trial).
    Popat R, Brown SR, Flanagan L, Hall A, Gregory W, Kishore B, Streetly M, Oakervee H, Yong K, Cook G, Low E, Cavenagh J; Myeloma UK Early Phase Clinical Trial Network.
    Br J Haematol. 2018 Aug 20. doi: 10.1111/bjh.15551. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available.
     
  4. Bortezomib, thalidomide, dexamethasone, and panobinostat for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (MUK-six): a multicentre, open-label, phase 1/2 trial.
    Popat R, Brown SR, Flanagan L, Hall A, Gregory W, Kishore B, Streetly M, Oakervee H, Yong K, Cook G, Low E, Cavenagh J; Myeloma UK Early Phase Clinical Trial Network.
    Lancet Haematol. 2016 Dec;3(12):e572-e580. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3026(16)30165-X. Epub 2016 Nov 12.
     
  5. The MUK five protocol: a phase II randomised, controlled, parallel group, multi-centre trial of carfilzomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (CCD) vs. cyclophosphamide, bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone (CVD) for first relapse and primary refractory multiple myeloma.
    Brown S, Hinsley S, Ballesteros M, Bourne S, McGarry P, Sherratt D, Flanagan L, Gregory W, Cavenagh J, Owen R, Williams C, Kaiser M, Low E, Yong K; Myeloma UK Clinical Trials Network.
    BMC Hematol. 2016 May 17;16:14. doi: 10.1186/s12878-016-0053-9. eCollection 2016.
     
  6. Experiences of establishing an academic early phase clinical trials unit.
    Brown SR, Sherratt D, Booth G, Brown J, Collinson F, Gregory W, Flanagan L.
    Clin Trials. 2017 Aug;14(4):349-356. doi: 10.1177/1740774517710250. Epub 2017 May 22.

 

Who we are

People

Director of Early Phase Trials Cancer Division
Dr Sarah Brown

View our team members