HUMAN GENOME SCIENCES BEGINS MULTIPLE MYELOMA TRIAL

Human Genome Sciences announced that it has initiated dosing of patients in a randomized Phase II clinical trial of HGS-ETR1 (mapatumumab) in combination with Velcade (bortezomib) in advanced multiple myeloma.

The trial is a randomized, multicenter, open-label study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HGS-ETR1 in combination with bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Approximately 100 patients will be enrolled in the United States and Canada and randomized into two treatment groups, with one treatment group receiving the combination of HGS-ETR1 and bortezomib and the other receiving bortezomib alone. Secondary objectives are to evaluate safety and tolerability, and to determine plasma concentrations of HGS-ETR1 for use in a population pharmacokinetic analysis.