Discussing the Impact of the Momelotinib on Myelofibrosis Conditions

Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and hematologic oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the key outcome of the MOMENTUM trial (NCT04173494) for managing anemia and symptoms for patients with intermediate-risk or high-risk myelofibrosis.

The international, double-blind, randomized, controlled, phase 3 study recently showed that 25% of patients on momelotinib (n = 130) had a 50%, or more, reduction in symptoms vs 9% with of patients treated in the danazol arm (n = 65). The difference of proportion between both arms was 16%, which researchers deemed statistically significant (95% CI, 6–26; P = .0095).

According to Verstovsek, this outperforms current options to treat and mange symptoms and anemia in patients with high-risk myelofibrosis experiencing anemia. The findings suggest the safety and efficacy of momelotinib and the potential for its approval by the FDA.

Verstovsek explains how these findings are important and why the MOMENTUM study looked at the managing of anemia for patients in the second-line setting of myelofibrosis. Moreover, he discusses how rates of transfusion impact these findings.

Transcription:

0:08 | This one is symptoms first, because people feel very bad in a second-line setting, and then anemia. In anemia what does this mean? Improvement in anemia? Well, you would define the patient as anemic if they have hemoglobin less than 10, but then among the people who have hemoglobin less than 10, there are different types of anemic patients. The worst are those that are transfusion dependent. That typically means 2 units monthly for 3 months is the definition, and making those people transfusion independent, and maintaining that hemoglobin [level] above 8 where you don't transfuse. That's the big deal.

0:45 | That happens actually, in this study, and that was the [factor], to me as a clinician, [that was] the most important factor. I can say that about a third of the patients on the study on the momelontib arm, after 6 months of therapy, were transfusion independent. That is tied, of course, to a quality of life; you don't spend time in the physician office, you're not fatigued, or short of breath because of anemia. And so that on its own is very valuable.