THOUSAND OAKS (dpa-AFX) - Biotechnology firm Amgen (AMGN) on Wednesday announced updated results from a Phase 2 study, which showed that treatment with blinatumomab (AMG 103) helped achieve a high-rate of complete response or CR in 72 percent of adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL.
Blinatumomab is the first of a new class of agents called bi-specific T cell engagers antibodies, designed to harness the body's cell-destroying T cells to kill cancer cells. It targets cells expressing CD19, a protein found on the surface of B-cell derived leukemias and lymphomas, such as ALL.
In this Phase 2 single-arm dose-ranging trial, 26 of the 36 patients treated with blinatumomab across all of the tested doses and schedules achieved a CR with partial hematologic recovery. All but two patients achieved a molecular response, meaning there was no evidence of leukemic cells by polymerase chain reaction. No treatment related deaths or serious adverse events were reported in the study.
At the time of the analysis, median survival was 9.0 months with a median follow-up period of 10.7 months. In the group of patients who received the selected dose, median survival was 8.5 months. The median duration of response in the 26 patients who responded to treatment was 8.9 months.
Full results of the study will be presented during an oral abstract session at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on June 4.
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© 2012 AFX News
