Millennium expands Velcade tests

Millennium Pharmaceuticals has begun tests to evaluate its blood cancer drug Velcade (bortezomib) in combination with other drugs.

Velcade, which Millennium is developing with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development (J&JPRD), can be prescribed to patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy.

The phase II trial will evaluate the efficacy of combining Velcade for injection with lenalidomide, dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide in the front-line multiple myeloma setting.

In a press statement, Millennium's CMO Nancy Simonian, said: "The objective of this trial is to evolve the treatment of multiple myeloma by combining these highly active therapies to induce early complete remission and improve long term survival."