By Colin Kellaher


Bristol Myers Squibb on Friday said the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended approval of its anemia drug Reblozyl.

The Princeton, N.J., biopharmaceutical company said the recommendation covers Reblozyl as a treatment for adults with transfusion-dependent anemia due to very low, low and intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

The European Commission, which generally follows CHMP's advice, will now review the recommendation.

Bristol Myers said a green light would represent the fourth authorized indication for Reblozyl in the European Union and expand Reblozyl's indication to include first-line treatment of anemia in adults with myelodysplastic syndromes, a group of closely related blood cancers characterized by ineffective production of healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Bristol Myers, which is developing and commercializing Reblozyl through a collaboration with Merck & Co. after that company's acquisition of Acceleron Pharma in late 2021, reported a 41% rise in Reblozyl revenue last year to nearly $1.01 billion.


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


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-23-24 0730ET