THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced top-line results of the Phase 3 CLARION trial, which evaluated an investigational regimen of KYPROLIS® (carfilzomib), melphalan and prednisone (KMP) versus Velcade® (bortezomib), melphalan and prednisone (VMP) for 54 weeks in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were ineligible for hematopoietic stem-cell transplant. The trial did not meet the primary endpoint of superiority in progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS 22.3 months for KMP versus 22.1 months for VMP, HR = 0.91, 95 percent CI, 0.75 - 1.10). While the data for overall survival, a secondary endpoint, are not yet mature, the observed hazard ratio (KMP versus VMP) was 1.21 (95 percent CI, 0.90 - 1.64). Neither result was statistically significant.
Overall, the adverse events in the KMP arm were consistent with the known safety profile of KYPROLIS. The incidence of Grade 3 or higher adverse events was 74.7 percent in the KMP arm and 76.2 percent in the VMP arm. Fatal treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 6.5 percent of KMP patients and 4.3 percent of VMP patients. The incidence of Grade 2 or higher peripheral neuropathy, a secondary endpoint, was 2.5 percent in the KMP arm and 35.1 percent in the VMP arm.
These data will be submitted to a future medical conference and for publication.
"Based on studies in the KYPROLIS label, including the ENDEAVOR study, a head-to-head comparison of KYPROLIS to Velcade in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, we know KYPROLIS to be a major advance in proteasome inhibitor therapy," said Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development atAmgen. "The CLARION results, generated in the context of a melphalan-containing regimen, are disappointing, especially given the robust data we've seen in the second-line setting. However, the myeloma landscape has changed dramatically since the design of the CLARION study with very few newly diagnosed patients treated with melphalan-based regimens, particularly in the U.S. We remain committed to exploring KYPROLIS in combination with other agents to advance the treatment of multiple myeloma."
Amgen supports a number of investigator-sponsored studies, and a Phase 3 study evaluating KYPROLIS in combination with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (KRd) versus Velcade in combination with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (VRd) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. This trial, called E1A11 or ENDURANCE, is underway independently by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group with funding provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and its National Clinical Trials Network. Over 750 institutions nationwide are currently enrolling patients in the study (NCT01863550).
The KYPROLIS clinical program continues to focus on providing solutions for physicians and patients in treating this frequently relapsing and difficult-to-treat cancer. KYPROLIS is available for patients whose myeloma has relapsed or become resistant to another treatment and continues to be studied in a range of combinations and patient populations.
About the CLARION Study
The CLARION study was a Phase 3 head-to-head multicenter, open-label, randomized study in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. A total of 955 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive KYPROLIS, melphalan and prednisone or Velcade, melphalan and prednisone for 54 weeks. The median patient age was 72.
The KMP regimen consisted of KYPROLIS as a 30 minute intravenous (IV) infusion on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 22, 23, 29 and 30 during each 42-day cycle (20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2 of cycle 1; 36 mg/m2 thereafter), melphalan 9 mg/m2 on days 1–4, and prednisone 60 mg/m2 on days 1–4.
Amgen Webcast Investor Call
Amgen will host a webcast call for the investment community on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen, along with KYPROLIS clinical investigators, will participate in the call to discuss the CLARION data.
Live audio of the investor call will be simultaneously broadcast over the Internet and will be available to members of the news media, investors and the general public.
The webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com, under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability and webcast links are noted on Amgen's Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 90 days after the event.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer, characterized by a recurring pattern of remission and relapse.1 It is a rare and very aggressive disease that accounts for approximately one percent of all cancers.2,3 In the U.S., there are nearly 95,000 people living with, or in remission from, multiple myeloma.4 Approximately 30,330 Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year and 12,650 patient deaths are reported on an annual basis.4
About Amgen's Commitment to Oncology
Amgen Oncology is committed to helping patients take on some of the toughest cancers, such as those that have been resistant to drugs, those that progress rapidly through the body and those where limited treatment options exist.Amgen's supportive care treatments help patients combat certain side effects of strong chemotherapy, and our targeted medicines and immunotherapies focus on more than a dozen different malignancies, ranging from blood cancers to solid tumors. With decades of experience providing therapies for cancer patients, Amgen continues to grow its portfolio of innovative and biosimilar oncology medicines.
About KYPROLIS® (carfilzomib)
Proteasomes play an important role in cell function and growth by breaking down proteins that are damaged or no longer needed.5 KYPROLIS has been shown to block proteasomes, leading to an excessive build-up of proteins within cells.5 In some cells, KYPROLIS can cause cell death, especially in myeloma cells because they are more likely to contain a higher amount of abnormal proteins.5,6
KYPROLIS is approved in the U.S. for the following:
- In combination with dexamethasone or with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received one to three lines of therapy.
- As a single agent for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received one or more lines of therapy.
KYPROLIS is also approved in Argentina, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Thailand, Colombia, Korea, Canada, Switzerland,Russia, Brazil and the European Union. Additional regulatory applications for KYPROLIS are underway and have been submitted to health authorities worldwide.
For more U.S. information, please visit www.kyprolis.com.