Highlights From EHA 2026: The Latest Findings in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms
Key claim: In the phase 2 INDEPENDENCE trial, lustracept failed its primary endpoint but significantly improved all secondary endpoints in patients with advanced myelofibrosis-associated anemia.
Abstract
Lustracept failed to meet its primary endpoint in the phase 2 INDEPENDENCE trial, but significantly improved all secondary endpoints for patients with advanced myelofibrosis-associated anemia. Conference recap from EHA 2026 (June 11-14).
Why this matters
Anemia is a defining and prognostically adverse feature of advanced myelofibrosis — both primary and post-PV/post-ET — and the pipeline of anemia-directed agents (luspatercept, elritercept, DISC-0974, INCB000928, nelfinavir) now includes lustracept, whose INDEPENDENCE readout shows a mixed but meaningful efficacy signal. The failed primary endpoint tempers enthusiasm, but uniformly positive secondary endpoints keep the agent in play as a potential JAKi add-on for the anemic MF subpopulation. This adds another data point to the broader question of which anemia-directed mechanism will deliver durable benefit in advanced MF.