Sierra Oncology, Inc. announces it has acquired momelotinib from Gilead Sciences. for the treatment of myelofibrosis.

Sierra Oncology, Inc. announced it has acquired the drug candidate momelotinib from Gilead Sciences. Momelotinib has been investigated in two completed Phase III trials for the treatment of myelofibrosis and has demonstrated a potentially differentiated therapeutic profile encompassing anemia-related benefits, as well as achieving substantive spleen and constitutional symptom control.

"The majority of myelofibrosis patients have anemia at diagnosis or develop it during treatment with other therapies, including ruxolitinib. Anemia is the most significant negative prognostic indicator in myelofibrosis patients and, as a result, one of the most important disease consequences to address," said Dr. Srdan Verstovsek, Medical Oncologist and Professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. "The therapeutic focus in myelofibrosis has traditionally been on treating the enlarged spleen and constitutional symptoms common to the disease. However, optimal drug therapy would also address disease-related cytopenias, including anemia and transfusion dependency, while also improving splenomegaly and symptoms. The Phase III clinical data for momelotinib demonstrate clinical benefits in all of these categories and I believe the drug candidate warrants further development. Given its anemia benefit, momelotinib could potentially become an important option for the treatment of myelofibrosis."

Comment: The compound demonstrated non-inferiority to Incyte Corp.�s Jakafi (ruxolitinib) in the Phase III SIMPLIFY-1 study, but did not show superiority to best alternative therapy (including Jakafi) in the Phase III SIMPLIFY-2 study. Sierra considered that Gilead�s studies had �arguable design limitations� that did not amplify the compound's potential benefit in anemia. Sierra expects that an additional trial likely will be necessary to consolidate the results from the earlier studies, and plans to convene with regulators and key opinion leaders to plan out the new trial. .