ASH 2020 | Phase III trial of imetelstat versus best available therapy in refractory MF
Srdan Verstovek, MD, PhD, Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, presents the design of a Phase III study (NCT02426086) of imetelstat, a first-in-class telomerase inhibitor, versus best available therapy in intermediate-2 or high-risk refractory myelofibrosis (MF). Ruxolitinib, a JAK inhibitor, is one of the only approved treatments in MF, and while it has shown some success in improving survival in the front-line setting, it does not cause molecular remission and discontinuation rates are high. Therefore, relapse is common and there is an unmet need for patients who have discontinued treatment with a JAK inhibitor. Imetelstat is an oligonucleotide inhibitor of human telomerase reverse transcriptase enzyme (hTERT), which has shown preferential killing of MF progenitor cells in in vitro models. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.
Disclosures
Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, has received research support for clinical studies from Incyte, Roche, NS, Pharma, Celgene, Gilead, Promedior, CTI BioPharma, Abbvie, Blueprint Medicines Corp., Novartis, Sierra Oncology, PharmaEssentia, Constellation, Ital Pharma, Protagonist and Kartos.
