Bristol-Myers Squibb reports positive five-year data for Sprycel

Bristol-Myers Squibb has published positive data from a five-year study of Sprycel, reinforcing the benefits it provides to certain leukaemia patients.

In association with Otsuka, the company has conducted a phase III follow-up trial to evaluate the drug's efficacy among Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukaemia patients who have proven resistant or intolerant to imatinib mesylate.

Sprycel was shown to deliver an improvement in both overall and progression-free survival rates, while safety data was consistent with previous studies.

Dr Neil Shah, assistant professor of haematology/oncology at the University of California, San Francisco and principal investigator of the study, said: "The five-year follow-up data demonstrated the long-term efficacy and consistent safety profile for Sprycel."

The drug has been approved for the treatment of newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia in Europe since 2010.

Last week, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced a new collaboration with Roche to trial a potential new combination treatment option for metastatic melanoma.