Molecular Partners AG said MP0250, combined with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.'s Velcade and dexamethasone, reduced the disease in patients with a type of blood cancer in a midstage trial.

Under the ongoing phase 2 study, the combination caused an objective response — which means the therapy reduced the cancer — in 5 out of 8 multiple myeloma patients whose disease came back or did not respond to prior treatment.

Patients under the study previously had at least two lines of therapies that did not work, including Velcade and an immunomodulatory imide drug — a type of drug that adjusts immune responses.

Among the side effects of the treatment were blood clots, hypertension and upper respiratory infection.

The phase 2 study is recruiting patients for a higher dose of the therapy. An additional phase 1b/2 trial will also evaluate MP0250 combined with AstraZeneca PLC's Tagrisso in treating certain patients with a type of non-small cell lung cancer, the Switzerland-based biopharmaceutical company said in a news release.