GSK PLC on Monday said a phase 3 trial of belantamab mafodotin as a multiple myeloma treatment has produced positive headline results.

The Brentford, West London-based pharmaceutical said the results came from a planned interim efficacy analysis of the Dreamm-7 head-to-head Phase 3 trial evaluating the drug, brand name Blenrep, as a second-line treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is the world’s third most common blood cancer, and ‘is generally considered treatable but not curable’. GSK said research into new therapies is necessary because the disease often develops resistance to available drugs during treatment.

GSK said the trial met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival, and showed a strong and clinically meaningful overall survival trend. It added that when combined with bortezomib plus dexamethasone or BorDex, Blenrep significantly extended the time until disease progression or death. This was in comparision with existing treatment daratumumab plus BorDex.

GSK said the Dreamm-7 trial is part of the Driving Excellence in Approaches to Multiple Myeloma clinical development programme, which continues to evaluate Blenrep’s potential in early treatment lines, and combined with new therapies and existing treatments.

‘Patients with multiple myeloma need treatment options after first relapse that are efficacious, readily accessible and have novel mechanisms of action,’ said Hesham Abdullah, senior vice president and global head of oncology, R&D. ‘We are particularly encouraged by the potential for belantamab mafodotin when combined with BorDex to address high unmet need in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, given the head-to-head comparison with the daratumumab-based standard of care regimen.’

Shares in GSK were up 0.2% at 1,425.40 pence in London on Monday morning.

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