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ASCO 2025 | The IMproveMF study: combining imetelstat with ruxolitinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis
Andrew Kuykendall, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, comments on the IMproveMF study (NCT05371964), a trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the combination of imetelstat and ruxolitinib in patients with intermediate-1, intermediate-2, or high-risk myelofibrosis (MF). The results of this study have been encouraging thus far, and Dr Kuykendall mentions plans to explore the regimen further in later-phase trials. This interview took place during the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting in Chicago, IL.
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Transcript
So, IMproveMF is really looking at an agent called imetelstat. This is approved for MDS right now in patients that have significant anemia, but we’re interested in myelofibrosis as it’s shown some potential to be disease-modifying. In the Phase II study that looked at imetelstat in patients with relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis, we actually saw patients lived a bit longer than we thought they would in an especially challenging group of patients...
So, IMproveMF is really looking at an agent called imetelstat. This is approved for MDS right now in patients that have significant anemia, but we’re interested in myelofibrosis as it’s shown some potential to be disease-modifying. In the Phase II study that looked at imetelstat in patients with relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis, we actually saw patients lived a bit longer than we thought they would in an especially challenging group of patients. So the IMproveMF actually takes that now back to a Phase I but uses it in combination with ruxolitinib. We know many of our patients really do need a JAK inhibitor on board and so the idea of using something that could be disease modifying in addition to something that certainly helps with the disease related symptoms and splenomegaly is something we’re quite interested by. It’s an early phase study right now but what we’ve seen is this is a safe combination and has the ability to really provide enhanced disease control. So we’re excited about finishing the Phase I study, expanding that out, and then further studying this in later phase studies.
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