A phase 1b/2 study evaluating efficacy and safety of MP0250, a designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) simultaneously targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone, in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

MP0250 is a designed ankyrin repeat protein that specifically inhibits both vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), aiming at potentiating cancer therapy by disrupting the tumour microenvironment. Encouraging results from a phase 1 trial of MP0250 in patients with solid tumours prompted further investigation in multiple myeloma (MM) as both MP0250 targets are reported to be drivers of MM pathogenesis. In this open-label, single-arm phase 1b/2 study (NCT03136653) in patients with proteasome inhibitor- and/or immunomodulatory drug-relapsed or refractory MM, MP0250 was administered every 3 weeks with standard bortezomib/dexamethasone regimen.

Severe acute measles pneumonitis: virus isolation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

In the past few years, several endemic outbreaks of measles have been recognised, not only in children but also in adults, with severe and, occasionally, even fatal complications, possibly due to delayed diagnosis of the disease in adult medicine and decreasing vaccination rates. Furthermore, the treatment consists of supportive measures only. We present a case of severe measles pneumonitis in a 42-year-old man, a travel returnee, proven by direct virus isolation with PCR from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.