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Ημερομηνία: 22/11/2007 6:37:00 πμ Περιοχή: Νέα Υόρκη ΗΠΑ Από: BW
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( BW)(CA-INTERNATIONAL-MYELOMA) The International Myeloma Foundation
Says REVLIMID(R) Extends Survival with Positive Implications for a
Wide Range of Blood Cancers
Validate the Findings--
Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. & WURZBURG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov.
21, 2007--The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) - supporting
research and providing education, advocacy and support for myeloma
patients, families, researchers and physicians - today said findings
from two large, international clinical trials are good news for
myeloma patients, especially patients with active myeloma despite
previous treatments. The newly published data demonstrate that with
REVLIMID(R), an oral cancer drug, all measures of myeloma showed
significant and, in some cases, unprecedented improvement in patients
where previous treatments had failed. This includes a median survival
of nearly three years (35 months) with REVLIMID, the longest median
survival in this difficult to treat patient group. Survival data were
presented at the International Myeloma Workshop in June, and for the
first time complete details from two Phase 3 clinical trials, one from
the US and one from Europe, are being published simultaneously in the
current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"We are very excited about the results that were demonstrated by
both the International and North American study which show that the
combination of REVLIMID plus dexamethasone demonstrated impressive
benefits for previously treated multiple myeloma patients," said Dr.
Meletios Dimopoulos, lead author of the International study,
University of Athens, "It is very rewarding to see patients were
involved in the trial living longer with a better quality of life."
REVLIMID (lenalidomide) from Celgene is the newest of what are
called the novel therapies, which, along with THALOMID(R) and
VELCADE(R), have changed the outlook for myeloma patients. These new
studies show REVLIMID plus the steroid dexamethasone achieved
"superior results" compared to dexamethasone alone "regardless of the
history of treatment." In Europe and the US, REVLIMID is being used in
myeloma, and in the US, it is also approved for a pre-leukemia
condition called MDS. It is also being tested in other leukemias and
lymphomas and even solid tumors.
"We are pleased that concerted efforts to find effective
treatments in what was considered a rare, little-known cancer, have
led to drugs like REVLIMID," said Susie Novis, president and
co-founder of the International Myeloma Foundation. "Myeloma has been
a difficult disease to cure, but with the novel therapies we are
developing effective, long-term treatments by using multiple drugs in
sequence and in various combinations. The addition of a drug with the
potency of REVLIMID to this equation is especially important."
Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a cancer of the bone
marrow that affects production of red cells, white cells and stem
cells. Although once considered a rare disease of the elderly, it is
of growing interest and concern. A recent (Oct 15) report from the
American Cancer Society shows that the incidence of myeloma is
increasing despite a trend toward decreasing cancer rates in recent
years. Myeloma is also being diagnosed in younger people so that half
of the patients diagnosed today are younger than 60, and increasingly,
the disease is detected in patients under the age of 40. At the
International Myeloma Foundation, studies with their DNA bank, Bank On
A Cure(R), point to environmental toxins and pollutants contributing
to this spread of myeloma, while better diagnostic capabilities are
helping to find more cases earlier in the course of the disease.
"The increasing incidence of myeloma gives us an urgent need for
potent treatments to fight myeloma, and these newly published studies
show that by all measures, REVLIMID is impressive," said Brian G.M.
Durie, chairman and co-founder of the IMF. "Given current trends we
believe these studies will be an important guide to giving patients
the most appropriate therapy as early in the course of their disease
as possible."
According to the phase 3 studies in the New England Journal of
Medicine, the pattern of responses "suggest that treatment (with
REVLIMID) early in the course of the disease may be beneficial." In
addition, the Compendia, the official physician guidelines, were
recently updated to add REVLIMID as an initial treatment for myeloma,
so patients don't have to wait until other treatments have failed.
ABOUT The International Myeloma Foundation
The International Myeloma Foundation is the oldest and largest
myeloma organization, reaching more than 165,000 members in 113
countries worldwide. A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to
improving the quality of life of myeloma patients and their families,
the IMF focuses in four key areas: research, education, support and
advocacy. To date, the IMF has conducted more than 120 educational
seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned hotline, and operates
Bank on a Cure(R), a unique gene bank to advance myeloma research. The
IMF was rated as the number one resource for patients in an
independent survey by the Target Research Group. The IMF can be
reached at (800) 452-CURE, or out of the United States at +1 (818)
487-7455. More information is available at www.myeloma.org.
CONTACT: International Myeloma Foundation
Media:
Stephen Gendel, +1-212 918-4655
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA GERMANY INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCT
SOURCE: International Myeloma Foundation
Copyright Business Wire 2007
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