Dr. Verstovsek on the Goal of the IMPactMF Trial With Imetelstat in Myelofibrosis

Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD, United Energy Resources, Inc. Professor of Medicine, director, Hanns A. Pielenz Clinical Research Center for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, chief, Section for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the key objective of the phase 3 IMpactMF trial (NCT04576156) examining imetelstat in patients with myelofibrosis.

The trial is comparing the use of intravenous imetelstat vs best available therapy in the second-line setting, Verstovsek says. To be eligible for enrollment, patients must be nonresponsive or refractory to JAK inhibitors. The key objective of the study is to improve overall survival (OS) in this patient population, according to Verstovsek.

This trial marks the first time that investigators have had the ability to consider prolonging life for patients with myelofibrosis within the context of a clinical study, Verstovsek adds. Using OS as a primary end point has raised the bar for the field in that the focus has moved beyond the spleen or symptoms such as anemia, Verstovsek explains. Imetelstat is an exciting new approach in development for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, Verstovsek concludes.