EU approves Revlimid and Imnovid Triple Combos for multiple myeloma

The European Commission has approved two combination therapies – Revlimid (lenalidomide), combined with Velcade (bortezomib) and dexamethasone (RVd) for the treatment of newly diagnosed, untreated adults who are not eligible for a stem cell transplant, and also Imnovid (pomalidomide), combined with Velcade and dexamethasone, for the treatment of some adult patients with multiple myeloma and for adults who failed at least one prior line of therapy, including Revlimid.
Meletios Dimopoulos, professor and chairman of the clinical therapeutics department at the University Athens School of Medicine, said: “Approval for use of the Imnovid-containing triplet, PVd, as early as first relapse, underscores the potential clinical benefit this regimen can provide to patients following a prior treatment including Revlimid. Revlimid-based regimens are often used as a standard of care in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, and there is a growing patient population who become refractory to Revlimid and need proven treatment options.”
Thierry Facon, professor of hematology at Lille University Hospital, said: “Determining first-line therapy is an important consideration in the overall treatment plan for patients with multiple myeloma. Since Revlimid in combination with dexamethasone is already a standard of care in multiple myeloma, we’re excited by the prospect of a new Revlimid-based triplet option for previously untreated patients who are not eligible for transplant.”
Nadim Ahmed, president of hematology and oncology for Celgene, said: “The approval of these combination therapies marks a significant milestone for patients with multiple myeloma in Europe. With these new triplet regimens we hope to improve outcomes for both newly diagnosed patients as well as those who have relapsed or become refractory to first-line therapy. IMiD have brought significant benefit to multiple myeloma patients and we are committed to advancing our pipeline of novel myeloma treatments in order to ensure physicians and patients continue to have new treatment options available to fight this disease.”