Hi Mike,
You know that there are at least six new drugs for low platelets coming up the pipelines. The first, Nplate, was approved Aug 2008 for Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Nplate is in clinical trials for MDS but seems to be dangerous for us - 22 of 44 patients with MDS got increased chromosome aberrations
.
The next, Promacta, will probably be approved any day for ITP but because there has been so much problems with Aranesp and similar drugs FDA has a special program so that only patients with severe ITP can get the drug initially. Promacta is in clinical trials for low platelets in connection with treatment for different kinds of cancer and Hepatitis C. Promacta has a negative effect on leukemia cells in tubes
.
Then we have AKR 501, R788, LGD-4665 and PRTX-100 – we hope that the trials for ITP will show good results. At the big haematology conference called ASH in the beginning of Dec we will probably get more info.
So perhaps you (and everybody) will get effective treatment like many of us already responde well when we get Aranesp and similar drugs for anemia and/or Neupogen and similar drugs for neutropenia.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A