Novartis: Tafinlar + Mekinist Shows Efficacy In Phase II/III Study

(RTTNews) - Novartis (NVS) announced Tafinlar + Mekinist significantly improved efficacy in patients ages 1 to 17 years old with BRAF V600 pediatric low-grade glioma requiring first systemic treatment compared to chemotherapy. In the study, patients randomized to receive Tafinlar + Mekinist experienced a statistically significant overall response rate of 47% compared to 11% for those randomized to receive chemotherapy. It reduced risk of progression or death by 69%. The safety profile of Tafinlar + Mekinist was generally consistent with established safety observed in previous studies.

The company noted that, in a separate single-arm cohort of this study evaluating pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory BRAF V600 high-grade gliomas, treatment with Tafinlar + Mekinist showed an independently assessed overall response rate of 56.1% and generally consistent safety results.