In this issue you will find reviewed selected presentations from the ASH meeting 2015—hand-picked by expert hematologists. Every year, groundbreaking information is emerging from this meeting. Thus, this issue of MEMO not only offers a privileged glimpse on the meeting itself, but also provides insight into the forefront of hematologic treatment strategies.

Daniel Heintel discusses the topic of CLL [1], focusing on new substances, which now are being evaluated in the first line setting, e. g. ibrutinib in the RESONATE 2 trial, venetoclax/obinutuzumab in the CLL14 trial. A treatment revolution is also ongoing in indolent lymphoma, with new substances showing unprecedented results in the first line and relapsed setting. Innovative combinations reviewed by Thomas Nösslinger include ibrutinib/rituximab, venetoclax/bendamustine/rituximab, and obinutuzumab/lenalidomide for follicular lymphoma [2]. For aggressive lymphomas, Michael Fridrik highlights the results for the DA-EPOCH-R regimen in treatment of Burkitt lymphoma [3]. A possible stepwise treatment strategy for lymphoproliferative disease after solid organ transplantation is also reviewed in his contribution. Highlights in the myeloma field were the presentations of the IFM/DCFI 2009 trial [4], underlining the importance of autologous transplantation first line in suitable patients. Also, based on data from the IFM 2013–04 trial, bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone (VTD) emerges as induction therapy of choice before autologous transplantation.

In the field of AML, two presentations were selected for the plenary session, as Michael Pfeilstöcker notes in his contribution [5]. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor midostaurin yielded an improvement in event-free and overall survival in newly diagnosed patients with AML harbouring a FLT3 aberration, when added to induction and consolidation treatment with subsequent 1‑year maintenance therapy with the substance. The second presentation on AML in the plenary session focused on the spliceasome as potential therapeutic target in AML. Johannes Clausen summarizes the highlights in the stem cell transplantation field [6]. The advances in the field were clearly mirrored in the presentations and discussions at the meeting. A cheap and effective method to cope with alloreactivity coming along with haploidentical grafts or mismatched unrelated grafts, developed at the John Hopkins Center in Baltimore, seems especially noteworthy. For the field of hemostaseology, Clemens Feistritzer provides an overview of topics discussed at the meeting [7]. The new drugs for the reversal of direct oral anticoagulants, idarucizumab and andexanet were prominently featured. The SIPPET trial demonstrated the superiority of plasma derived FVIII concentrates containing von Willebrand factor over recombinant FVIII concentrates.

This and much more you will find in the articles in this journal. For every topic, an up to date snapshot is provided. I am sure you will find this issue of MEMO entertaining and informative.

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 Niklas Zojer