vaccine for Multiple Myeloma

The purpose of this study is to see if the investigator can help the immune system to work against myeloma through the use/administration of a peptide vaccine (immunotherapy agent) directed against the Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) protein called galinpepimut-S (or GPS, for brief). Because cancer is produced by the patient's own body, the immune system does not easily recognize and fight cancer cells. The immune system needs to be "trained" to do this; the latter goal is accomplished by using a vaccine consisting of selected fragments of the target antigen, in this case, WT1. This disease has been selected for this study because the WT1 protein is often present in myeloma cells. WT1 is a gene that is involved in the normal development of kidneys and other organs. When the WT1 gene becomes abnormal, it can make proteins involved in the development of cancer, i.e., can acquire the properties of a true "oncogene". This study will determine whether the vaccine against the WT1 antigen (present in malignant plasmacytes) can cause an immune response which is safe, but also able to keep the myeloma from either coming back or progressing.