Dr. Mascarenhas Discusses Ongoing Clinical Trials in Myelofibrosis

John O. Mascarenhas, MD, associate professor of medicine, hematology, and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; director of the Adult Leukemia Program; and leader of Clinical Investigation within the Myeloproliferative Disorders Program at Mount Sinai; and a member of the Tisch Cancer Institute, discusses ongoing clinical trials in myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis is a rare, often chronic, and aggressive disease with significant unmet needs. Therefore, Mascarenhas recommends enrolling patients in clinical trials when possible to push agents into the commercial space.

For example, patients with low platelet counts may be eligible to enroll on the phase 3 PACIFICA study which is evaluating the JAK inhibitor pacritinib in patients with primary myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis, or post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis, Mascarenhas explains.

Transfusion-dependent patients may be considered for the phase 3 MOMENTUM trial which is evaluating momelotinib versus danazol in anemic patients with symptomatic myelofibrosis, Mascarenhas says.

Additionally, the investigational BET inhibitor CPI-0610 is likely to be evaluated in a phase 3 study in combination with ruxolitinib (Jakafi) for patients with JAK-inhibitor naïve myelofibrosis, adds Mascarenhas.

Finally, a phase 3 study evaluating imetelstat may be on the horizon in myelofibrosis, concludes Mascarenhas.