Amgen's Kyprolis improves overall survival in blood cancer patients

Amgen Inc said on Monday a final analysis of late-stage trial data showed that its Kyprolis combined with two other drugs helped blood cancer patients live longer.

Kyprolis when used with two standards of care drugs, dexamethasone and Celgene Corp’s Revlimid, reduced the risk of death by 21 percent and extended survival by 7.9 months, compared with patients treated with the two drugs alone, the company said.

The study, ASPIRE, tested Kyprolis, chemically known as carfilzomib, in multiple myeloma patients whose cancer had relapsed following prior treatment or did not respond to treatment.

“The data support the early use of carfilzomib as an effective therapy at first relapse, regardless of prior treatment with Velcade or transplant,” Keith Stewart, principal investigator on the study said, referring to Takeda Pharmaceutical Co’s cancer treatment.

Amgen said it had filed with the U.S. FDA requesting to include the new overall survival data in the drug’s label.

Kyprolis is approved for multiple myeloma that has progressed after treatment with other medicines.

In the United States, nearly 95,000 people are living with, or in remission from, multiple myeloma, according to the National Cancer Institute.

About 30,330 Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma and more than 12,600 die from the disease each year.