- Blenrep® (belantamab mafodotin) has been registered for use in adults with multiple myeloma who have relapsed or become resistant to first-line treatment as part of a triplet combination.1,2
- Despite treatment advances, myeloma remains incurable and there is a significant unmet need for new therapies.3,4,5
- An application for reimbursement via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will be considered in November.6
A new multiple myeloma therapy that works like a "Trojan Horse" to treat cancer from within is now approved for use in Australia. Blenrep® (belantamab mafodotin) is the first drug of its kind to be approved for multiple myeloma and works by targeting and attaching to myeloma cells before killing them from inside.1,2
This approval means Blenrep can now be used in eligible Australian patients as part of a triplet combination for adults who have received at least one prior therapy for myeloma.1 It follows international approvals in the UK, US, Europe, Canada and Japan.
Clinicians and patient advocates are today welcoming the approval of this new myeloma therapy option, which has been extensively trialled internationally and around Australia, with 22 sites taking part in pivotal Phase 3 studies.
Commenting on the announcement, Director of Clinical Haematology and Haematology Research at St Vincent's Hospital, Professor Hang Quach says, despite progress over the last decade, myeloma remains incurable for most people.
"Initial treatment usually involves a combination of three or more therapies. However, most people will find their myeloma eventually returns or stops responding, making follow-up treatment increasingly difficult. That is why having a new 'Trojan Horse' treatment like Blenrep, which targets myeloma cells in a completely different way, represents an important advance for patients who need new options in their second line of treatment."
Myeloma Australia CEO Mark Henderson adds, "The myeloma community is growing, as is the need for new therapies. There are more than 2,600 new cases of myeloma being diagnosed in Australia every year and this number is set to almost double by 2043.
"Unfortunately, fewer than 60 per cent of these patients currently survive five years post diagnosis. This is lower than other more common cancers including breast, prostate and colorectal cancer - underlining the urgent need for new treatment approaches. Blenrep provides a new choice, and we welcome its availability for eligible patients."
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow and affects plasma cells - the immune cells that normally produce antibodies to fight infection.7 When cancerous, these cells crowd out healthy blood-forming cells and can produce faulty antibodies that make it harder to fight infections.7 The most common symptoms of multiple myeloma include bone pain, frequent or prolonged infections, anaemia, kidney problems and abnormal blood counts.8
After each relapse, multiple myeloma can become progressively harder to treat, particularly when the disease stops responding to standard therapies.5,9 The length of time that subsequent treatments work can get shorter, and quality of life and life expectancy can decline.9
Blenrep is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) that contains a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein) connected to an anti-cancer medicine. The antibody is designed to find and selectively bind to multiple myeloma cells. Once attached, the anti-cancer medicine is delivered directly inside cancer cells to kill them from within. The antibody also helps the body's own immune system to recognise and clear cancer cells.2
GSK Australia Vice President and General Manager, Andrew Thomas says, "We welcome the approval of Blenrep and remain committed to making a difference for all Australians with blood cancer. By combining our understanding of the immune system with the latest in scientific innovation, our ambition is to unlock new ways to treat blood cancers like myeloma and change the course of disease."
Blenrep is indicated for the treatment of adults with multiple myeloma whose disease progresses after initial treatment or no longer responds to initial treatment. It can be used in combination with existing myeloma medicines, bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy, or in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy including lenalidomide.1 Blenrep is administered as a 30-minute outpatient infusion, meaning it can be delivered without hospitalisation.2
Like all medicines, Blenrep can cause side effects. Common side effects include fever, general weakness, fatigue, cold or cold-like symptoms, diarrhoea, nausea, constipation, vomiting, foamy or frothy urine (albuminuria), and blood tests showing abnormal levels of creatine phosphokinase, liver problems, anaemia, lymphopenia, leukopenia or neutropenia. Serious side effects include eye-related issues [Please refer to Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet and Boxed Warning], diarrhoea (significant episodes), disorder of blood vessels in the liver, abnormal bruising or bleeding (thrombocytopenia), lung problems (pneumonitis), pneumonia and infusion-related reactions.2 Refer to the CMI leaflet f
