Amgen’s melanoma drug improved OS in phase three
Amgen's melanoma drug has been found to improve overall survival (OS) in phase three clinical trials.
The drug, talimogene laherparepvec, was being evaluated in over 400 patients with unresected stage IIIB, IIIC or IV melanoma compared to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Analysis of the trial showed that the median overall survival was 23.3 months in the talimogene laherparepvec arm over 19.0 months in the GM-CSF arm.
Talimogene laherparepvec is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to selectively replicate in tumor tissue and to initiate a systemic anti-tumor immune response.
Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen.
Howard Kaufman, M.D., professor and director of the section of surgical oncology in the Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Melanoma is the most aggressive and serious form of skin cancer in which the best treatment approach involves early detection. Currently, 132,000 melanoma cases occur globally each year. Metastatic melanoma remains a devastating and difficult-to-treat disease with a high unmet need.
Related news:
Amgen says melanoma drug improved survival (Bloomberg Businessweek)
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