By Colin Kellaher


Bristol Myers Squibb Co. and 2seventy bio Inc. on Wednesday said a Phase 3 study of their Abecma gene therapy for earlier use in the blood cancer multiple myeloma met the primary endpoint.

The companies said a prespecified interim analysis of the study of Abecma compared with standard combination regimens in adults with multiple myeloma that is relapsed and refractory after two to four prior lines of therapy and refractory to the last regimen showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival.

Treatment with Abecma also showed an improvement in the key secondary endpoint of overall response rate compared with standard regimens, the companies said, adding that follow-up for overall survival, a key secondary endpoint, is continuing.

New York-based Bristol Myers and 2seventy, a Cambridge, Mass., biotechnology company, are jointly developing and commercializing Abecma in the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year approved Abecma for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy.

The companies said the latest study results advance their efforts to make the gene therapy available for earlier lines of treatment.


Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

08-10-22 0743ET