Continued Overall Survival Advantage Reported From Pivotal Trial of VELCADE(R) (Bortezomib) for Injection Based Therapy in Patients With Previously Untreated Multip...( SAN FRANCISCO Dec. 8 /- Millennium: T...),Health

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company today reported updated results based on extended follow up of patients from the large, international Phase III VISTA(1) trial showing continued survival improvement for patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma given VELCADE, melphalan and prednisone (VcMP). The VELCADE combination demonstrated consistent efficacy in all patient sub-groups, including those with poor prognostic characteristics, such as advanced age, poor risk cytogenetics and renal impairment. These data were presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), held December 5-9, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

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"The ultimate goal in treating multiple myeloma is to prolong the patient's life," said Professor Jesus San-Miguel, M.D., Ph.D., Hospital Universitario de Salamanca and Principal Investigator of the trial. "The follow-up data from the VISTA study showed that the addition of VELCADE to melphalan and prednisone continued to demonstrate a long-term survival advantage for patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma."

The VISTA trial enrolled 682 patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma ineligible for stem cell transplantation. The first interim analysis was presented at ASH 2007. Data with a median follow up of 25.9 months were presented at this year's ASH meeting. In addition, a detailed analysis evaluated the impact of subsequent therapy on the overall survival (OS) results. The updated results, which were presented by Professor San-Miguel, included:

• Thirty-six percent reduced risk of death in the VcMP arm, compared with the MP arm (hazard ratio =0.644, p=0.0032; median survival not yet reached in either a
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