NEW DRUGS NEW DRUGS Ferriprox Reduces Excess Iron

NEW DRUGS Ferriprox Reduces Excess Iron Deferiprone (Ferriprox, Apo-Pharma, Inc.) has been approved to treat iron overload resulting from blood transfusions in patients with thalassemia who have responded inadequately to previous chelation therapy. Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that causes anemia. Patients with thalassemia have excess iron levels from frequent blood transfusions, a serious and potentially fatal condition. They may also be at risk for liver disease, diabetes, arthritis, heart failure, and arrhythmias. The standard therapy for transfusional iron overload is chelation. Deferiprone is intended for use when chelation therapy has been inadequate. It represents the first new FDA-approved treatment for iron overload since 2005. The therapy was approved under the FDA’s accelerated approval program. Apo-Pharma plans to study the use of deferiprone in patients with sickle cell disease. Source: FDA, October 14, 2011