Our host, Professor Moshe Mittelman from Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, will review 4 studies discussing if a COVID diagnosis should impact MDS treatments, therapeutic options for anemia and the use of pevonedistat with azacytidine in high-risk MDS.
- In the first study discussed, Dr. Abi Vijenthira and colleagues performed systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the risk of death and other important outcomes in these patients. (Outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 3377 patients – Blood 2020;136(25):2881-2892 (Dec))
- Next, Dr. Pierre Fenaux and colleagues discuss how Luspatercept reduces the severity of anemia in RBC transfusion-dependent patients with LR-MDS with RS, who were refractory (or unlikely to respond to) to ESA. (Luspatercept in Patients with Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes – N Engl J Med 382; (2), January 9, 2020. P.140)
- In this study, Dr. David Henry on behalf of an international group, reported a 52-wk update of the open-label (OL) phase of a study of roxadustat in anemia in primary MDS patients that determined the starting dose of the ongoing DB study. (Oral Roxadustat Demonstrates Efficacy in Anemia Secondary to Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome Irrespective of Ring Sideroblasts and Baseline Erythropoietin Levels – Abs # 1277, Session 637, ASH 2020)
- In our final study, Dr. Mikkael Sekeres and colleagues report preliminary results of the P-2001 trial. 120 patients with HR-MDS/CMML (IPSS-R), were randomized 1:1 to receive as 1st line therapy Aza only or the combination Aza + P. (Randomized phase 2 trial of pevonedistat plus azacitidine versus azacitidine for higher-risk MDS/CMML or low-blast AML – Abs # 653, Session 637, ASH 2020; Leukemia 2021 Jan 22.)
