Novartis reports positive data from severe aplastic anaemia drug trial

Novartis has announced the publication of new clinical trial data demonstrating the efficacy of its drug eltrombopag in treating severe aplastic anaemia.

Appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study indicated that 58 percent of patients with treatment-naive severe aplastic anaemia achieved a complete response at six months when treated with eltrombopag plus standard immunosuppressive treatment.

The study evaluated three cohorts, of which the third added eltrombopag at the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, whereas cohorts one and two initiated eltrombopag on day 14. It was shown that cohort three experienced a higher complete response rate.

Results also indicated that the addition of eltrombopag did not increase the rate of clonal evolution, a major complication of severe aplastic anaemia that can lead to the development of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukaemia.

Vasant Narasimhan, global head of drug development and chief medical officer at Novartis, said: "We are committed to improving the care of people living with serious conditions over the long term, particularly those with few options and great unmet need."

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