J&J Myeloma Drug, Taken in Combo, Greatly Slows Disease Progression

June 6, 2016

Johnson & Johnson's therapy for advanced multiple myeloma -- Darzalex -- sharply reduced the risk of disease progression when taken with two standard treatments, according to late-stage trial data.

Darzalex, received U.S. approval in November for use by itself among patients who had received at least three prior treatments for myeloma. Darzalex is the first monoclonal antibody approved for treating multiple myeloma.

Data from the late-stage trial involving 498 patients who had previously undergone one or more myeloma treatments was released on Sunday by J&J's Janssen. In the 489 patient trial, one group received Takeda Pharmaceutical's Velcade and the steroid dexamethasone, while the other group received Darzalex in combination with those two drugs.

Darzalex cut the risk of disease progression or death among previously treated myeloma patients by 61% compared with the standard combo alone, meeting the trial's main goal.

Read the Reuters press release