Novartis' Arzerra combination significantly raises progression-free survival versus chlorambucil

15 April 2015

Treatment with Arzerra (ofatumumab) from Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) plus chlorambucil resulted in a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival versus chlorambucil alone in a section of leukemia patients.

Phase III data published in medical journal The Lancet showed that Arzerra and chlorambucil improved median progression-free survival by 71% in treatment-naive patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia for whom fludarabine-based therapy was considered inappropriate.

Already marketed Arzerra was acquired by Novartis as part of the oncology portfolio of UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK), in a $16 billion transaction which completed last month (The Pharma Letter March 2).

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