The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved eltrombopag (Promacta) for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, or splenectomy.
“Preventing platelet destruction has always been the primary means of treating patients with ITP. Recent advances, like the clinical trials of eltrombopag, show that increasing the production of platelets may also play a significant role in treating this disorder,” said James Bussel, MD, Platelet Disorders Center, Children’s Cancer and Blood Foundation Division of New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York. “The entire ITP community, including physicians, patients, and their families may benefit from this shift in thinking and these innovative new treatments.”
