In a huge win for GSK, it is highly likely that the company’s newly acquired momelotinib will become the new standard of care for myelofibrosis patients with anemia and low platelet counts once it is approved following the results of the drug’s Phase III MOMENTUM trial*, according to GlobalData. The leading data and analytics company notes that GSK was able to list the drug as part of its portfolio following its acquisition of Sierra Oncology back in April 2022, and the pharmaceutical giant now looks to challenge CTI BioPharma’s Vonjo in this lucrative market.

Sam Warburton, Oncology and Hematology Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Myelofibrosis is a rare form of blood cancer with debilitating symptoms and very few treatment options. Historically, myelofibrosis patients with low platelet counts (<50×10⁹ per liter) have been drastically underserved as there were no therapies approved for these patients until CTI BioPharma’s Vonjo (pacritinib) was granted accelerated approval by the FDA in Febraury 2022, making it the only marketed drug for this patient population. Results from the pivotal MOMENTUM trial have demonstrated momelotinib’s efficacy in this patient population and should secure it’s FDA approval by the end of the year, potentially making GSK’s drug the new standard of care for patients with anemia and low platelets.”

As part of its research into myelofibrosis therapies, GlobalData highlights that there are currently three approved therapies for myelofibrosis: Incyte/Novartis’s Jakafi/Jakavi (ruxolitinib), Bristol Myers Squibb’s Inrebic (fedratinib), and CTI BioPharma’s Vonjo (pacritinib).

Warburton continues: “All of the currently approved therapies for myelofibrosis are JAK inhibitors (JAKi). Unfortunately, JAKi therapy leads to discontinuation in most patients due to developing anemia and low platelet counts. While momelotinib is also a JAKi, its novel mechanism of action has gathered significant interest due to its potential for being able to treat myelofibrosis-associated symptoms while controlling anemia and low platelet levels.”

GSK agreed to acquire Sierra Oncology in April 2022 for the sum of $1.9 billion, with the goal to realize momelotinib’s commercial and clinical potential.

Warburton concludes: “This is a critical period for GSK, with the company’s upcoming demerger later this year. It is essential that the company boosts investor confidence by bolstering its pharmaceutical portfolio. Given momelotinib’s promising efficacy in myelofibrosis patients with anemia and low platelet counts, GlobalData forecasts momelotinib to provide significant returns on investment for GSK.”

* Mesa, R. A., Thomas Gerds, A., Vannucchi, A., Kathrin Al-Ali, H., Lavie, D., Kuykendall, A. T., Grosicki, S., Iurlo, A., Tee Goh, Y., Cornelia Lazaroiu, M., Egyed, M., Laura Fox, M., McLornan, D. P., Perkins, A., Yoon, S.-S., Gupta, V., Kiladjian, J.-J., Donahue, R., Kawashima, J., … Thomas, S. (2022). MOMENTUM: Phase 3 randomized study of momelotinib (MMB) versus danazol (DAN) in symptomatic and anemic myelofibrosis (MF) patients previously treated with a JAK inhibitor.