The Advancing Landscape of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Treatment

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: (par-uk-SIZ-muhl nok-TURN-uhl hee-muh-gloe-buh-NYOOR-ee-uh) A rare and serious blood disease that causes red blood cells to break apart. Paroxysmal means sudden and irregular. Nocturnal means at night. Hemoglobinuria means hemoglobin in the urine. Hemoglobin is the red part of red blood cells. A… (PNH) is a rare chronic bone marrow failure bone marrow failure: A condition that occurs when the bone marrow stops making enough healthy blood cells. The most common of these rare diseases are aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Bone marrow failure can be acquired (begin any time in life) or can be… condition characterized by complement-mediated hemolytic anemia hemolytic anemia: Anemia due primarily to the excessive hemolysis or destruction of red blood cells and thrombosis thrombosis: (throm-BOE-suss) A blood clot (thrombus) that develops and attaches to a blood vessel. . While its initial clinical description occurred in 1882, somatic mutations in PIGA were discovered in the 1990s. With an improved understanding of PNH biology, a focused effort on complement inhibitors led to the discovery of eculizumab eculizumab: Eculizumab (Soliris ®) is given as an IV into a vein at the doctor’s office or at a special center. The procedure usually takes about 35 minutes. You will probably get an IV once a week for the first 4 weeks. Starting in the 5th week, you will get a slightly higher dose of Soliris every 2 weeks. … , a C5 inhibitor initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2007. Terminal complement pathway inhibition reduced intravascular hemolysis hemolysis: (hi-MOL-uh-suss) The destruction of red blood cells. , anemia anemia: (uh-NEE-mee-uh) A condition in which there is a shortage of red blood cells in the bloodstream. This causes a low red blood cell count. Symptoms of anemia are fatigue and tiredness. , and thrombosis. Further advancements in drug development for PNH have included improved pharmacokinetics with ravulizumab in 2018 and the introduction of proximal complement inhibitors such as pegcetacoplan pegcetacoplan: EMPAVELI® is the first PNH treatment that binds to complement protein C3. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in May 2021 for treating adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). EMPAVELI is given skin (subcutaneously) by using the Empaveli injector or with an… (2021), iptacopan iptacopan: FABHALTA, a complement factor B inhibitor, is the first oral medication approved to treat adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2023. Fabhalta is taken twice a day in a capsule form. What is FABHALTA? … (2023), danicopan danicopan: VOYDEYA is a prescription medicine used along with ravulizumab or eculizumab to treat breakdown of red blood cells that takes place outside of blood vessels (extravascular hemolysis), in adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).   What is VOYDEYA? VOYDEYA is a… (2024), and crovalimab crovalimab: An experimental complement inhibitor C5 monoclonal antibody. By blocking the cleavage of C5 to C5a and C5b, it is expected to inhibit complement activation, which is the cause of a number of diseases. (2024) to enhance patient outcomes. With these new proximal and distal complement inhibitors in the treatment landscape, it is timely for clinicians to review the evolving landscape of PNH treatments and patient selection.