UPDATE ON PROMISING MF TREATMENT, MOMELOTINIB

After completing a number of clinical trials, The MPN community was disappointed when a promising compound in development for myelofibrosis, momelotinib, was discontinued by Gilead Sciences Inc. So, it was a great relief when, in 2018, Sierra Oncology acquired momelotinib with the intention of continuing the development of the drug. 

Sierra Oncology is planning a new clinical trial for myelofibrosis patients called the MOMENTUM study. They are currently in the study start-up process with enrollment projected to begin in the last quarter (October, November, December) of 2019. The MOMENTUM’s study design will seek to enroll patients who have previously been treated with an approved JAK inhibitor drug and are no longer benefitting from the therapy, who are anemic, and suffer from splenomegaly.

As planning for the new trial proceeds, momelotinib will continue to be available to the patients who participated in the previous clinical trials and are still finding success with the drug. These patients are being “rolled over” to a long-term extension study that currently has over one hundred active patients, some of whom have been receiving momelotinib treatment for up to 8 years! Sierra will continue to provide momelotinib as long as it is in a patient’s best interest to continue with the therapy.