72% complete response in Ph II leukemia study of Amgen's blinatumomab

USA-based Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN), the world's largest independent biotech firm, has announced updated results from a Phase II study that showed treatment with blinatumomab (AMG 103) helped achieve a high-rate of complete response (CR) in 72% of adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated in the study.

Blinatumomab is the first of a new class of agents called bi-specific T cell engagers (BiTE) antibodies, designed to harness the body's cell-destroying T cells to kill cancer cells. It is the lead compound of Micromet (Nasdaq: MITI), which entered a collaboration with Amgen last year worth a potential $990 million to Micromet for BiTE antibodies against three undisclosed solid tumor targets (The Pharma Letter July 12, 2011). However, Amgen decided to acquire Micromet, a $1.16 billion transaction (TPL January 27) which completed in March.