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Eltrombopag monotherapy assessed in moderate aplastic anemia and unilineage bone marrow failure disorders.

Eltrombopag monotherapy assessed in moderate aplastic anemia and unilineage bone marrow failure diso…
Photo by Faustina Okeke / Unsplash
Key Takeaway
Consider eltrombopag in moderate aplastic anemia; results limited by small sample and missing safety data.

This Phase 2 study assessed eltrombopag by mouth once a day in a population of 34 people at least 2 years of age. The participants had moderate aplastic anemia or bone marrow failure and unilineage cytopenia with significantly low blood cell counts. The setting was not reported.

The primary outcome measured was the proportion of drug responders. Specific numerical results for this proportion were not reported in the available data. Secondary outcomes were not reported.

Safety and tolerability data were not reported. Adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, and general tolerability were not reported. The follow-up period was 6 months after the last dose of medication.

Limitations include the small sample size of 34 participants, the absence of a comparator group, and the lack of reported safety data. Funding or conflicts of interest were not reported. The practice relevance was not reported. Causality was not explicitly noted. These findings are preliminary and require further validation.

Study Details

Study typePhase2
Sample sizen = 34
EvidenceLevel 3
Follow-up72.5 mo
PublishedApr 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
Status: COMPLETED | Phase: PHASE2 Condition(s): Moderate Aplastic Anemia, Unilineage Bone Marrow Failure Disorders Intervention(s): Eltrombopag (DRUG) Background: * Moderate aplastic anemia is a blood disease which may require frequent blood and platelet transfusions. Sometimes patients with this disease can be treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Not all patients respond and not all patients are suitable for this treatment. * Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a protein made by the body. The bone marrow needs TPO to produce platelets. TPO may also be able to stimulate bone marrow stem cells to produce red cells and white cells. However, TPO cannot be given by mouth. This has led researchers to develop the drug eltrombopag, which acts in the same way and can be given by mouth. Eltrombopag has been shown to safely increase platelet numbers in healthy volunteers and in patients with other chronic blood diseases, including severe aplastic anemia. Researchers are interested in looking at whether eltrombopag can be given to people with moderate aplastic anemia and significantly low blood cell counts. Objectives: \- To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of eltrombopag in people with moderate aplastic anemia or patients with bone marrow failure and unilineage cytopenia who need treatment for significantly low blood cell counts. Eligibility: \- People at least 2 years of age who have moderate aplastic anemia or bone marrow failure and unilineage cytopenia,and significantly low blood cell counts. Design: * Patients will be screened with a physical examination, medical history, blood tests, a bone marrow biopsy, and an eye exam. * Patients will receive eltrombopag by mouth once a day. * Patients will have weekly blood tests to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment and adjust the dose in response to possible side effects. * Patients may continue to take eltrombopag if their platelet count or hemoglobin increases, their requirement for platelet or blood transfusion decreases after 16 to 20 weeks of treatment, and there have been no serious side effects. Access to the drug will continue until the study is closed. Patients will be asked to return for a follow-up visit 6 months after the last dose of medication. Detailed: Moderate aplastic anemia (MAA) is a blood disease which can be effectively treated with immunosuppressive drug regimens. However, a significant number of patients have persistent cytopenias. Currently, the treatment of these patients is regular transfusion, which are expensive, inconvenient, and associated with serious side effects related to iron overload, or cytokines such as erythropoietin or G-CSF, which are expensive, and not effective in many patients. Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a protein made by the body that is important for normal production of platelets by the bone marrow. TPO may also be able to stimulate bone marrow stem cells to produce red cells and white cells. TPO cannot be given by mouth, and as an alternative, a drug, eltrombopag, has been designed that acts in the same way Primary Outcome(s): Proportion of Drug Responders Enrollment: 34 (ACTUAL) Lead Sponsor: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Start: 2012-03-13 | Primary Completion: 2018-03-30 Results posted: 2019-04-23
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