Prof. dr. P.(Pieter) Sonneveld

Pieter Sonneveld is Professor of Hematology at the Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands. From 2011 to 2017 he has been the head of the department of Hematology. He received his medical degree from the Erasmus University Rotterdam and completed his PhD at the University of Leiden, The Netherlands, and worked subsequently at the National Cancer Institute in the United States for 2 years.

He is vice-chairman of the HOVON Myeloma Working Group and coordinates HOVON and EMN clinical trials. Professor Sonneveld founded the European Myeloma Network and has been chairman since. Within EMN, he coordinates a cooperative network for independent clinical trials in Europe. EMN currently runs international trials and registration trials for novel treatments.

He has been Board member (2011-2017) and President (2017-2019) of the European Hematology Association EHA, and chair of its Scientific Working Group Committee. He has chaired the Scientific Program Committee of the 19th EHA congress in Milan 2014 and of the EMN Myeloma meetings in 2018 and 2021.

He serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the IMF, IMS and MMRF and is a member of the International Myeloma Working Group. Dr Sonneveld has been a member of many Editorial Boards and has authored more than 600 peer reviewed scientific publications and several book chapters. He has received numerous grants for his research.

Since 2005 the focus of Dr Sonneveld’s research has been on Multiple Myeloma. From 2007, he has contributed to the development of several novel (immune) medications for this disease, adding therapeutic value to older treatments with alkylators and stem cell transplantation. The main research questions of the group in Erasmus MC have been related to the mechanisms of action and (acquired) resistance in patients. During these years, Dr Sonneveld and staff have been coordinators and project leaders of many HOVON and EMN trials with novel agents such as Proteasome Inhibitors (PI), Immune-modulatory agents (IMiDs), anti-CD38 antibodies (Daratumumab, Isatuximab) and more recently T-Cell re-direction therapies (CAR-T cells and anti-BCMA Bispecifics). The Erasmus MC laboratory has been a central lab for these trials and has collected an extensive biobank of primary samples from patients in these trials (Dr T. Cupedo and Dr. M. van Duin).

Our clinical research has focused on prospective phase 3 trials comparing novel agents with standard of care. The involved clinical staff includes Dr A. Broijl, Dr R. Wester and Dr C. Steege. Many of the trials were performed in HOVON and/or the European Myeloma Network, in collaboration with other national groups. Examples are HOVON 24( double vs single autologous transplantation), Hovon65 (Bortezomib vs Thalidomide), EMN02 (role of consolidation), EMN017 (Daratumumab added to chemo vs standard chemo), EMN028 (CAR-T vs autologous transplant), EMN030 (Teclistamab maintenance) and others. Additional projects focus on large meta-analyses (Bortezomib, Thalidomide, Harmony database) and prognostic variables (FISH, imaging, cellular biology).

The translational and biologic research is conducted in close collaboration with Dr T. Cupedo, who is head of the laboratory for Myeloma Research. The translational studies focus on analyzing the role of the inflammatory micro-environment in the bone marrow during the course of the disease and the interaction with drug therapy and specific novel agents. This part of the research is performed with a consortium of myeloma research group in Europe, through exchange of samples obtained from the clinical trials. (see also T. Cupedo).

Current research projects

• Identification of High-Risk Multiple Myeloma (MMRF foundation $7 million)
• Central laboratory assessment of response in EMN clinical trials (Industry partners $10 million)

Pieter Sonneveld, MD, Ph.D. was born in The Netherlands. He received his medical degree from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands in 1977. In 1980 he completed a Ph.D. thesis on the pharmacology of Adriamycin in Acute Leukemia at the University of Leiden (DW van Bekkum & HM Pinedo, promotores). In 1980 he received a Fogarty Fellowship and worked for several years at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, USA.

Dr. Sonneveld is Professor of Hematology at the Erasmus MC and Erasmus University Rotterdam and has occupied the Chair of the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute in Rotterdam for 8 years. From 2011 to 2017 he has been the head of the department of Hematology.

Dr. Sonneveld has authored more than 600 peer reviewed international scientific publications and several book chapters.

Recent Key Publications:

• P. Sonneveld, M.A. Dimopoulos, M. Boccadoro, et al.
  Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma.
  N Engl J Med.: 390(4):301-313. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2312054 (2024)
• H. Ludwig, E. Terpos, N. van de Donk, ….. P. Sonneveld
  Prevention and management of adverse events during treatment with bispecific antibodies and CAR T cells in multiple myeloma: a concensus report of the European Myeloma Network.
  Lancet Oncol.: 24(6):e255-e269 (2023)
• P. Sonneveld, A. Chanan-Khan, K. Weisel, et al.
  Overall Survival With Daratumumab, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone in Previously Treated Multiple Myeloma (CASTOR): A Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trial.
  J. Clin. Oncol.: 41(8): 1600-1609 (2023)
• D. Hofste Op Bruinink, R. Kuiper, M. van Duin ….. P. Sonneveld
  Identification of High-Risk Multiple Myeloma With a Plasma Cell Leukemia-Like Transcriptomic Profile.
  JCO.21.01217 (2022)
• M. D’Agostino, D.A. Cairns, J.J. Lahuerta, ….. P. Sonneveld
  Second Revision of the International Staging System (R2-ISS) for Overall Survival in Multiple Myeloma: A European Myeloma Network (EMN) Report Within the HARMONY Project.
  J Clin Oncol. 2022 Oct 10;40(29):3406-3418. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.02614. Epub 2022 May 23
• M.A. Dimopoulos, P. Moreau, E. Terpos, ….. P. Sonneveld
  Multiple myeloma: EHA-ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.
  Lancet Oncol.: 22(6):801-812 (2021)
• Moreau P, Attal M, Hulin …, Sonneveld P.
  Bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone with or without daratumumab before and after autologous stem-cell transplantation for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (CASSIOPEIA): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 study.
  Lancet: 394(10192):29-38 (2019)
  
  

See also Sonneveld P at PubMed

Professor of Hematology at the Erasmus MC and Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Supervision of 28 theses.

He is vice-chairman of the HOVON Myeloma Working Group and coordinates HOVON and EMN clinical trials. Professor Sonneveld founded the European Myeloma Network and has been chairman since. Within EMN, he coordinates a cooperative network for independent clinical trials in Europe. EMN currently runs international trials and registration trials for novel treatments.

He has been Board member (2011-2017) and President (2017-2019) of the European Hematology Association EHA, and chair of its Scientific Working Group Committee. He has chaired the Scientific Program Committee of the 19th EHA congress in Milan 2014 and of the EMN Myeloma meetings in 2018 and 2021.

He serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the IMF, IMS and MMRF and is a member of the International Myeloma Working Group. Dr Sonneveld has been a member of many Editorial Boards and has authored more than 600 peer reviewed scientific publications and several book chapters. He has received numerous grants for his research.

In 2015 he was awarded the international Robert Kyle Award in Multiple Myeloma. In 2019 he received the Hubertus Wald Award for Cancer Research from Germany and in 2022 he received the International Waldenström Lifetime Achievement Award, this award is given by the International Myeloma Society.