Incyte Corporation (INCY) recently presented encouraging long-term data from a phase I/II study on Jakafi, for the treatment of bone marrow fibrosis, at the 2013 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Bone marrow fibrosis is a key feature of myelofibrosis (MF).
Results from the study showed that bone marrow fibrosis stabilized/improved after 24 and 48 months in most MF patients treated with Jakafi. The bone marrow fibrosis stabilization was however not seen in long-term treatment with hydroxyurea.
At the end of 48 months, bone marrow fibrosis stabilized in 56% of the patients and improved in 22% of the patients treated with Jakafi. The same was 44% and 0% respectively in patients treated with hydroxyurea.
Meanwhile, bone marrow fibrosis grade worsened in 37% and 25% of the patients treated with Jakafi at the end of 24 months and 48 months, respectively. Compared to this, bone marrow fibrosis grade worsened in 65% and 74% of patients treated with hydroxyurea at the end of 24 months and 48 months, respectively.
We note that Jakafi is already approved for the treatment of patients suffering from intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis in the US. Jakafi is also being studied for the treatment of polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, solid/other hematologic tumors and pancreatic cancer.
Moreover, Incyte’s pipeline also has INCB024360 (advanced malignancies), INCB28060 (solid tumors) and INCB39110 (myelofibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis) among others.
Incyte, a biopharmaceutical company, currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Other biopharma stocks such as Jazz Pharmaceuticals Public Limited Company (JAZZ), Santarus, Inc. (SNTS) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CBST) currently look better positioned. While, Jazz Pharma and Santarus carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Cubist Pharma carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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