Dr. Verstovsek on the Benefit of JAK Inhibitor Combos in Myelofibrosis

Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, United Energy Resources, Inc. Professor of Medicine, director, Hanns A. Pielenz Clinical Research Center for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, chief, Section for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the benefit of drug combinations to improve anemia in patients with myelofibrosis.

The immediate goal for patients who are transfusion dependent is to eliminate transfusion requirements, according to Verstovsek. The anemia drugs luspatercept-aamt (Reblozyl) and momelotinib are under investigation in this space and other drugs are being combined with JAK inhibitors, Verstovsek explains. Agents such as pelabresib (formerly CPI-0610), navitoclax, and parsaclisib have different modes of action and are now being combined with the JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib (Jakafi) in the frontline setting, Verstovsek says. 

Some of these drugs boost the efficacy of JAK inhibitors with respect to improving the spleen and symptoms; they also aid in improving anemia, Verstovsek adds. The combination of a BET inhibitor and a JAK inhibitor in the frontline setting improves on the benefit achieved with a JAK inhibitor alone in this patient population, Verstovsek concludes.