Positive Phase III data from elotuzumab combination trial in multiple myeloma

Data from a Phase III study has shown that adding elotuzumab, an experimental drug from Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), to standard therapy, led to significantly longer remissions and cut the risk of death in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients.

The study, ELOQUENT-2, randomized 646 patients with recurrent multiple myeloma to receive standard therapy of lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or standard therapy plus elotuzumab. Those given elotuzumab lived a median time of 19.4 months until their disease progressed or until they died, compared with 14.9 month in standard therapy. Elotuzumab also reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 30% at a median follow-up period of two years.

Sagar Lonial acknowledged that survival data was not yet available, but said that “there clearly are very encouraging signs in terms of overall survival.” Julie Vose, president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, at whose meeting the data will be presented, said it was “probably a practice-changing type of treatment.” Data suggested that the addition of elotuzumab did not lead to a significant increase in adverse events or toxicity.