Gilead’s Magrolimab Linked to Increased Risk of Death in Blood Cancer Patients

1. Magrolimab's Failure: Gilead's anti-CD47 drug magrolimab has been discontinued due to its ineffectiveness and potential harm to patients with untreated high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR-MDS).
2. Increased Risk of Death: The ENHANCE study showed a 20.3% increased risk of death for patients receiving magrolimab compared to the placebo group, although the results were not statistically significant.
3. Poor Efficacy: Magrolimab performed worse than placebo across multiple efficacy and safety metrics, including overall survival and complete remission rates.
4. Adverse Events: Patients receiving magrolimab were more likely to discontinue treatment due to adverse events, with a higher incidence of grade 3 or above adverse events compared to the placebo group.
5. Gilead's Shift in Focus: Following the failure of magrolimab, Gilead is now investing in early-stage obesity and metabolic programs, including a phase 2 clinical trial evaluating combinations with Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 agonist semaglutide.