Ayalew Tefferi, MD, hematologist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, discusses the toxicity of imetelstat in patients with myelofibrosis.

Tefferi says there were few instances of non-hematologic toxicities when patients were given the drug every three weeks. Although clinicians were excited that there were no grade 3 or 4 toxicities, the drug has the ability to cause myelosuppression.

When patients were given imetelstat every three weeks, the incidence of grade 4 thrombocytopenia or neutropenia was below 10%, Tefferi says. However, when the drug was used every week, the incidence of grade 4 adverse events increased. Tefferi says that out of 11 patients who received weekly imetelstat, two of them developed severe myelosuppresion. Consequently, the weekly regimen was abandoned.

Ayalew Tefferi, MD

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Dr. Tefferi on the Toxicity Profile of Imetelstat