Dr. Gisslinger on EFS Rates With Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b in Polycythemia Vera

Heinz Gisslinger, MD, professor, program director, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, the Medical University of Vienna, discusses the 6-year event-free survival (EFS) data from the phase 3 PROUD-PV (NCT01949805) and CONTI-PV (NCT02218047) trials.

The PROUD-PV and CONTI-PV trials compared the efficacy and safety of ropeginterferon alfa-2b-njft (Besremi) vs hydroxyurea (Hydrea) or best available treatment in patients with polycythemia vera. A final efficacy analysis for CONTI-PV was conducted once all patients had completed 6 years of treatment. The maximum treatment duration was 7.3 years.

At the time of the final analysis, EFS, which was defined as time to death, disease progression, or thromboembolic events, was significantly higher in patients in the ropeginterferon arm than in those in the control arm, Gisslinger says. This higher probability of EFS in patients treated with ropeginterferon alfa-2b contributed to this regimen fulfilling the treatment goals of patients with polycythemia vera, Gisslinger concludes.