Celgene's Revlimid shows results for blood cancer

Celgene Corp. said late Sunday that a mid-stage study showed that 29 percent of patients with a certain type of blood cancer responded to its drug Revlimid. The data was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago.

Out of 83 patients who had received prior treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), 23 percent achieved a partial response, while six percent showed a more substantial complete response. The cancer neither increased nor decreased in 19 percent of patients.

In a group of 22 patients who had mantle cell lymphoma, a type of NHL, the response rate was 36 percent.

Jefferies & Co. analyst Eun K. Yang noted that Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Velcade, which is already indicated for mantle cell lymphoma, was approved based on mid-stage data showing a 31 percent response rate.

Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. analyst Jim Reddoch said the 29 percent response rate was impressive and emphasizes Revlimid's strong efficacy. He also predicts an additional indication in NHL could add between $500 million and $700 million in peak sales.

Celgene plans to start a late-stage trials later this year.