Celgene’s new multiple myeloma drug launches in UK

Celgene has announced that its new oral blood cancer therapy pomalidomide has been made commercially available in the UK and Ireland.

The drug, which will be sold under the name Pomalidomide Celgene, is intended for use in combination with dexamethasone for adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies – including both lenalidomide and bortezomib – and have demonstrated disease progression while on their last therapy.

It was approved by the European Commission earlier this month based on positive data from the phase III trial MM-003, which showed the new treatment's overall and progression-free survival benefits.

Celgene intends to market the product under the trade name Imnovid following its full European rollout.

Professor Steve Schey, lead investigator for the MM-003 study and consultant haematologist at King's College Hospital in London, said: "These patients have exhausted multiple therapies, including current standards of care. The introduction of pomalidomide gives these patients another option and can potentially help extend remissions in this incurable disease."