SEATTLE — September 25, 2026

Adaptive Biotechnologies highlighted a new consensus definition of cure for multiple myeloma presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the International Myeloma Society (IMS) in Glasgow, Scotland, on behalf of the IMS and International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG). The consensus defines potential cure based on sustained remission and prolonged absence of detectable disease, placing measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity at a sensitivity of 10⁻⁶ at the center of the assessment. Under the proposed definition, patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed multiple myeloma may be considered cured after five years in complete remission without myeloma treatment, provided they meet specified MRD and imaging criteria throughout the period.

Consensus Definition Requires Sustained MRD Negativity

The new definition requires at least four negative MRD assessments over five years, including an assessment at the five-year mark, with no intervening positive result. MRD testing must use next-generation sequencing or next-generation flow technology capable of detecting one myeloma cell among one million cells, corresponding to a sensitivity of 10⁻⁶. The criteria also incorporate advanced imaging, requiring PET/CT or diffusion-weighted whole-body MRI to show no evidence of disease at the beginning and end of the five-year period, with no positive scan between those assessments when additional imaging is performed. The framework reflects growing recognition that conventional response assessments may not provide sufficient sensitivity to characterize very deep and sustained responses in multiple myeloma.

clonoSEQ Supports High-Sensitivity MRD Assessment

Adaptive said its clonoSEQ® assay is designed to detect and quantify malignant-cell DNA sequences at a sensitivity of one cancer cell among one million healthy cells. The company highlighted the assay as an example of next-generation sequencing technology capable of supporting the MRD requirements described in the consensus definition. clonoSEQ is FDA-cleared for MRD detection and tracking in multiple myeloma and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using bone marrow, and in chronic lymphocytic leukemia using blood or bone marrow. It is also available as a CLIA-validated laboratory-developed test for additional lymphoid malignancies. Adaptive cited clinical research and comments from myeloma experts in emphasizing the role of highly sensitive MRD testing, while the new consensus definition itself was developed by international myeloma experts through the IMS and IMWG.

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New Definition Marks Shift Toward Long-Term Disease Monitoring

The consensus framework establishes sustained MRD negativity as a key component of determining whether a patient may have achieved a durable cure, while also highlighting the importance of continued monitoring over multiple years. The development comes as advances in myeloma therapies allow some patients to remain free of detectable disease after treatment ends, creating a need for more precise definitions of long-term outcomes. The framework does not imply that all patients achieving MRD negativity will be cured, and further research will be needed to determine how the criteria perform across different patient populations and treatment settings. As the field develops more effective therapies and increasingly sensitive disease-monitoring technologies, the new definition provides a standardized framework for evaluating prolonged treatment-free remission and investigating which patients may ultimately achieve durable cure.

Source :Adaptive Biotechnologies press release