The use of zoledronic acid for the prevention of
skeletal-related events in patients with newly diagnosed
multiple myeloma was superior to treatment with clodronate and was found to
improve survival even after adjustment for potential effects of
skeletal-related events on survival.
“After a median follow-up of 3.7 years, [zoledronic
acid] significantly improved survival over clodronate. It significantly
improved PFS, reduced the proportion of patients with skeletal-related events
and was generally well tolerated,” said Gareth Morgan, MD, of The
Royal Marsden Hospital, Surrey, United Kingdom, during his presentation at the
2010 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Morgan presented data from the Medical Research Council
Myeloma IX study. This study evaluated the effect of
zoledronic acid (Zometa, Novartis) vs. clodronate plus
anti-myeloma therapy on skeletal-related events in 1,960 patients with newly
diagnosed multiple myeloma.
After 3.7 years of follow-up, data indicated that there
was a 24% relative reduction in the number of skeletal-related events in
patients treated with zoledronic acid vs. patients treated with clodronate (27%
vs. 35.3%; P=.0004).
“These data should be viewed in context of the
historical data from Berenson et al, which showed that 50% of people get a
skeletal-related event in control arms, so it’s a significant difference
that would be even greater if you compared it to placebo,” Morgan said.
In addition, patients treated with zoledronic acid had a
5.5-month longer OS (50 months vs. 44.5 months; P=.012) and a 2-month
longer PFS (19.5 months vs. 17.5 months; P=.018) vs. patients treated
with clodronate.
“The survival benefit was not related to the
prevention of skeletal-related events but was an anti-myeloma effect,”
Morgan said.
Both zoledronic acid and clodronate were generally well
tolerated among the patients, Morgan said. – by Leah Lawrence
For more information:
- Morgan G. #8021. Presented at: the 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting; June 4-8;
Chicago.
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