Today we announced the results from our Phase III GOYA study of Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) plus chemotherapy (G-CHOP) versus Rituxan/MabThera (rituxumab) plus chemotherapy (R-CHOP) in people with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common type of aggressive lymphoma. The study did not meet its primary endpoint of helping people live longer without their disease progressing (progression-free survival, PFS).
The Gazyva/Gazyvaro development program is a bold one, intended to establish new standards of care over the very ones that we created in indolent and aggressive lymphoma and CLL with our breakthrough anti-CD20 therapy Rituxan/MabThera. We set a high bar and challenged ourselves to go from great to greater.
In two previous studies we were successful in that challenge: Gazyva/Gazyvaro improved PFS compared to Rituxan/MabThera, when each was combined with chemotherapy in previously untreated follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The GOYA study was similarly designed to demonstrate a superior outcome for people with DLBCL.
Although we had hoped for a positive outcome, I am proud of how well we executed this important clinical trial and the major contributions that its scientific strengths will bring to all who study this disease and seek to improve outcomes for patients.
Dan O’Day commented during the recent PD Global Town Hall meeting that when we raise the bar in an effort to transform patients’ lives, we will occasionally fail but there are always learnings for us. I completely agree, and the knowledge from the GOYA study will be directly applied to our rich Hematology pipeline where we have ongoing phase I and II studies with new molecules in DLBCL.
Please join me in congratulating and thanking the many individuals across our company who brought their expertise and commitment to this rigorous study. Your dedication to our mission of doing now what patients need next is deeply appreciated by everyone in the organization.