3 Topic Commentaries

FDA expands essential thrombocythemia care

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  Ruben Mesa, MD

  Hematology/Oncology (Myeloproliferative Neoplasms)

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  Wake Forest University School of Medicine / Atrium Health Levine Cancer

  Treatment options for patients with essential thrombocythemia who can’t use hydroxyurea have been limited. This study shows ropeginterferon alfa-2b not only controls the disease more effectively than current alternatives, but also improves symptoms, reduces serious complications and improves outcomes for patients and clinicians.

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  Nikolai A. Podoltsev, MD

  Hematology/Oncology (Myeloproliferative Neoplasms)

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  Yale School of Medicine / Yale Cancer Center

  So, the main goal of treatment is to prevent first thrombosis or prevent recurrence of thrombotic events. And depending on the condition, polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia, patients will receive usually small-dose aspirin as well as cytoreductive therapy for patients who are considered high risk for the development of thrombotic events...

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  Nikolai A. Podoltsev, MD

  Hematology/Oncology (Myeloproliferative Neoplasms)

  •

  Yale School of Medicine / Yale Cancer Center

  So, there is a drug which was most recently approved in Europe, which is from the class of interferons and this is ropeginterferon, which was approved in February of 2019 as a frontline treatment for patients with polycythemia based on the study results conducted in Europe, which showed that it is superior to hydroxyurea in regard to hematological response as well as controlling the number of cells in blood which are positive for JAK2 mutations.

  Source