New Drug Treatment Kyprolis® ▼ (carfilzomib) for Relapsed Multiple Myeloma Launches in the UK

CAMBRIDGE, England, February 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

In a clinical trial, relapsed patients treated with carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone lived 8.7 months longer without disease progression compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone 

Amgen today announced that Kyprolis^® (carfilzomib) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone is now available in the UK for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Carfilzomib is the first licensed irreversible proteasome inhibitor for use in combination treatment of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.^[1]

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The European Commission licensed carfilzomib in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone based on the ASPIRE study in November 2015. Carfilzomib has shown significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to lenalidomide and dexamethasone, reinforcing the belief that it may provide a new treatment option for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

"Multiple myeloma is a rare and aggressive blood cancer that often becomes resistant to treatment, which is why there is a need for new therapeutic options that extend the time patients live without their disease progressing," said Tony Patrikios, Executive Medical Director at Amgen UK.

He added, "Although advances in treatment have been made over recent decades, multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease. We deeply appreciate the commitment of patients in over 20 UK clinical centres who have participated in clinical trials that has allowed us to bring carfilzomib to patients in the UK. Carfilzomib provides an important new treatment option for relapsed multiple myeloma, helping to address a real unmet need for this rare blood cancer. We will continue to work with all our partners and stakeholders to ensure this new medicine is made available to patients in the UK."

Myeloma UK Chief Executive Eric Low said, "Myeloma is a relapsing and remitting cancer and so it's extremely important that we continue to see access to new effective treatments. To that end, we very much welcome the European approval of carfilzomib and we will work closely with Amgen and the various healthcare technology assessment bodies in the UK to ensure that patients get access as quickly as possible."