Long-Term Use Of Revlimid(R) In A Wide Range Of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Presented At The 48th Annual American Society Of Hematology Meeting

Main Category: Blood / Hematology
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Transplants / Organ Donations;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 13 Dec 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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At this year's American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting, final results from two Phase II trials evaluating Revlimid in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) were presented. In these trials, MDS patients with and without the chromosome 5q deletion, demonstrated that treatment with Revlimid can provide durable results for patients helping them to achieve blood transfusion independence and remain transfusion free with long-term follow up approaching four years.

"It is very exciting to see patients living transfusion free for three to four years with a much improved quality of life," said Kathy Heptinstall, Operation Director of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation. "We are pleased with these new data which show that lenalidomide, Revlimid, can provide significant benefit for patients by reducing or even eliminating the need for blood transfusions in patients with MDS."

MDS, a cancer in which the bone marrow fails to make enough functioning blood cells either red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets. The majority of MDS patients suffer from anemia and fatigue and require red blood cell transfusions. Repeated transfusions can lead to a buildup of iron in the body "iron overload" after as few as 20 units of red blood cells. Iron overload can damage the heart, liver, and other organs.

Data presented by Dr. Alan List, Professor of Oncology and Medicine and Chief, Division of Hematologic Malignancies at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, showed that two-thirds of patients with MDS associated with chromosome 5 deletion who received Revlimid were completely freed from the need for blood transfusions. More significantly, in 44 percent of patients, there was no detectable trace of the cancer.

Additional data presented by Dr. Azra Raza, Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, found that in patients with MDS not associated with a chromosome 5q abnormality nearly one-third of Revlimid patients achieved blood transfusion independence and remained blood transfusion free for a median duration of 41 weeks. These data demonstrate that Revlimid can provide long-term clinical benefit in MDS patients with and without the chromosome 5q abnormality.

Revlimid is indicated for the treatment of patients with transfusion- dependent anemia due to Low- or Intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes associated with a deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities. Revlimid is also used as treatment in combination with dexamethasone for multiple myeloma patients who have received at least one prior therapy.

About the MDS Foundation

The Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, Inc. is a multi-disciplinary, international organization devoted to the prevention, treatment, and study of the myelodysplastic syndromes. The organization is based upon the premise that international cooperation will accelerate the process leading to the control and cure of these diseases. For further information, please visit http://www.mds-foundation.org.

Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation, Inc.
http://www.mds-foundation.org

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