A study evaluating Velcade, melphalan and prednisone demonstrated a complete response (CR) rate of 43%, the strongest rate ever reported for a melphalan-prednisone combination therapy, Millennium said. At 38 months, 85% of patients were alive. This is the highest reported three-year survival rate in the front-line treatment setting, the company said.
In another trial, Velcade, adriamycin and dexamethasone showed a CR rate of 29% prior to stem cell transplantation (SCT), which further improved to 57% following SCT. At one year, 100% of patients were alive, and at two years, 95% of patients were alive – the highest reported two-year survival rate in the front-line treatment setting.
A Velcade, Doxil and dexamethasone combination showed a CR rate of 43% prior to SCT, which increased to 65% following SCT. At 16 months, 100% of patients were alive. In the final trial, Velcade, lenalidomide and dexamethasone showed an overall response rate of 100%, including a CR rate of 20%.
In the US, Velcade is indicated for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy and for the treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma who have received at least one prior therapy. In the European Union and many other countries worldwide, Velcade is approved for patients with multiple myeloma after first relapse.