International Myeloma Foundation Names Dr. Paul G. Richardson Recipient of the 2017 Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) today announced that Paul G. Richardson, MD, the R.J. Corman Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Clinical Program Leader / Director of Clinical Research at the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is the recipient of the 15^th annual Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award.

The IMF honors an outstanding physician annually with the award, named for its first recipient, the world-renowned myeloma expert Dr. Robert A. Kyle. The Kyle award will be formally presented at a ceremony during the organization's annual International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit in Madrid from June 19–21. The IMWG summit draws more than 100 top blood cancer specialists from around the world each year to collaborate and push ahead research to find a cure for multiple myeloma.

"Receiving the Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award is the greatest honor," said Dr. Richardson. "It means so much to me for so many reasons, not least, Dr. Kyle is considered the foremost leader in the field, and to receive this recognition from Bob and the Awards Committee of the IMF is both truly inspiring and very humbling."

Kyle Award honorees are individuals whose work in the field of myeloma has resulted in significant advances in research, treatment, and care of myeloma patients around the world. "We applaud Dr. Richardson's accomplishments and important contributions to improving the lives of myeloma patients," said IMF President and Co-Founder Susie Novis Durie.

"Dr. Richardson's work perfectly reflects the words of Dr. William Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic, who challenged the nature of patient care nearly a century ago, when he said 'The needs of the patient are the only needs to be considered,'" added IMF Chairman Dr. Brian Durie.

Dr. Richardson received his medical degree from the Medical College of St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. He completed fellowships in hematology/oncology and medical oncology at Tufts University School of Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) before joining the DFCI staff as an attending physician in1994.

He currently holds leadership positions in several professional bodies and has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the Journal of Oncology, The Oncologist, Clinical Cancer Research, and the British Journal of Hematology. He chairs the Multiple Myeloma Committee for the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. Dr. Richardson's honors include several Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Dana-Farber Partners in Excellence Awards; the Brigham and Women's Hospital Teaching Scholars Award; the Tisch Outstanding Achievement Award for Clinical Research; and DFCI's George Canellos Award for Excellence in Clinical Research and Patient Care. For his contributions in hematology and oncology, and in particular myeloma, he was awarded an honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 2009, was a co-recipient of the prestigious Warren Alpert Foundation Prize in 2012, and received the Ernest Beutler Prize at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology. He most recently received the COMy Prize for global contributions in Multiple Myeloma Research at the annual meeting held in Paris last year.

Dr. Richardson has published more than 320 original articles, and over 200 reviews, chapters, and editorials in leading peer-reviewed journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Blood, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Leukemia, Clinical Cancer Research, and British Journal of Haematology. His primary research interest is in novel therapies for the treatment of multiple myeloma, and he has been a leader in the clinical development of bortezomib, lenalidomide, panobinostat, elotuzumab, daratumumab, and pomalidomide. Currently, he leads multiple efforts studying the use of combination therapies in relapsed and refractory myeloma, an area of primary interest to him, and he has pioneered the development of lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (so-called RVD), which is now one of the most widely used combinations nationwide in the upfront treatment of myeloma patients in the US, as well as elsewhere.

Receiving the Kyle Award, said Dr. Richardson, "reflects the privilege of working with my phenomenal team, and, the greatest privilege of all, to have made a meaningful difference in the care of our patients. I therefore am truly honored to receive this award and deeply grateful for all that it means."

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the largest foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation's reach extends to more than 450,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure by focusing on four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. The IMF has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in 2001, established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black Swan Research Initiative^®, a groundbreaking research project aimed at curing myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is www.myeloma.org. Follow the IMF on Twitter @IMFmyeloma.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Debra Gendel, (310) 710-1903, [email protected] 
Sapna Kumar, (818) 487-7455, [email protected]

SOURCE International Myeloma Foundation