Novartis reports positive two-year Jakavi data

Novartis has reported long-term follow-up data from two phase III trials of its myelofibrosis therapy Jakavi, demonstrating the strong performance of the drug over a two-year period.

Data from the Comfort-I and Comfort-II follow-ups showed that Jakavi was able to deliver sustained reductions in spleen size, while also improving quality of life and extending overall survival compared to placebo or the best available therapy.

This further demonstrates the potential of Novartis' drug to provide relief for sufferers of the life-threatening blood cancer, for which there was previously a lack of viable therapy options.

It is now approved in the EU and Canada, with additional worldwide regulatory filings currently underway.

Herve Hoppenot, president of Novartis Oncology, said: "We are encouraged by these findings and look forward to evaluating how Jakavi may help patients with other myeloproliferative neoplasms associated with a similar mechanism of disease."

Last month, the company received a recommendation for EU approval of its non-transfusion-dependent thalassaemia therapy Exjade from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.