EVOMELA® is an intravenous formulation of melphalan commercialized by Acrotech in the multiple myeloma treatment setting in the United States. EVOMELA is unique in that the Captisol®-enabled formulation avoids the use of propylene glycol, which is used as a co-solvent in other forms of melphalan. EVOMELA has greater stability when reconstituted, allowing longer preparation and infusion times, and is the first melphalan injection commercially available in China. In August 2019, CASI launched EVOMELA® in China as its first commercial product.
Multiple myeloma is a malignant hematological disorder that is characterized by abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow and the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulins that are detectable in the serum or urine. Multiple myeloma accounts for 10-13% of hematological malignancies1,2 and in Western countries, the estimated incidence is 5.6 cases per 100,000 persons2. The estimated incidence of multiple myeloma in China is ~2.0 cases per 100,000 persons3, for an estimated annual incidence of approximately 27,8003. The estimated number of patients in China with multiple myeloma who are candidates for auto-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is estimated to be approximately 16,900 cases per year. The current number of patients with multiple myeloma who undergo auto-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in China is estimated to be approximately 800 cases per year. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been demonstrated to improve complete response rates and prolong median overall survival in patients with multiple myeloma1,3 and is considered standard of care for transplant-eligible patients. The preferred conditioning regimen for ASCT is high dose melphalan 200mg/m2, it is the golden standard conditioning treatment.
Prior to CASI’s commercialization of EVOMELA, the number of patients with multiple myeloma who undergo auto-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in China was estimated to be approximately 800 cases per year. In 2020, more than 2,600 patients were treated with EVOMELA due to CASI’s KOL and physician education activities and the continued expansion of EVOMELA as a standard of care in the multiple myeloma treatment setting.
1. S. Rajkumar, Mayo Clin Proc. 2016 January; 91(1): 101–119
2. A. Palumbo, N Engl J Med, 2011; 364: 1046-60
3. J. Lu, Blood Cancer Journal (2014) 4, e239; doi:10.1038/bcj.2014.55
Please see Evomela product and safety information.
*EVOMELA® (melphalan) for Injection is proprietary to Acrotech Biopharma Inc. and its affiliates.
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