Novartis reports positive clinical data for combination melanoma treatment

Novartis has announced new clinical data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of a new combination therapy for advanced melanoma.

Phase III study results have shown a significant survival benefit for patients with BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive advanced melanoma when treated with a first-line combination of Tafinlar and Mekinist, when compared to Tafinlar alone.

The results from the COMBI-d three-year follow-up analysis represent one of the longest survival follow-up studies to date with patients with this form of advanced melanoma who received a targeted combination therapy.

An estimated 44 percent of patients continued to survive after receiving Tafinlar and Mekinist, according to the most recent data, while of those patients still enrolled at three years, 58 percent were receiving the combination.

Dr Alessandro Riva, global head of oncology development and medical affairs at Novartis, said: "This type of treatment approach is not only helping to grow the practice of precision oncology, but has the potential to fundamentally change the way we treat cancer."

This combination is currently approved in the US, EU and other territories for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma patients who have a BRAF V600 mutation.