ASH: Geron's 'drug works' in myelofibrosis, despite 'possibly related' deaths
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Menlo Park, California-based Geron has revealed preliminary data from the ongoing Mayo Clinic investigator-sponsored trial (IST) for its telomerase inhibitor imetelstat, which is being tested as a treatment for myelofibrosis. Even though two patients out of 22 in the initial cohort have died, one of the investigators said that the drug "clearly shows antimyeloproliferative activity." Geron's CEO told investors that dose reductions during Mayo's trial meant that the myelosuppression side effect seen by some patients was "clearly manageable."