Dr. Gerds on the VERIFY Trial Examining Rusfertide in Polycythemia Vera

Aaron T. Gerds, MD, MS, assistant professor in Medicine, physician, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, member, Developmental Therapeutics Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, discusses the phase 3 VERIFY trial (NCT05210790) examining rusfertide in patients with polycythemia vera.

The prospective, randomized trial is investigating the safety and efficacy of rusfertide compared with placebo in maintaining hematocrit control and improving disease symptoms in patients with polycythemia vera who require phlebotomy on a routine basis.

This prospective, randomized trial is open for accrual and currently being launched at participating centers, Gerds explains. Similar to the inclusion criteria for the phase 2 REVIVE trial (NCT04057040), VERIFY will allow patients to enroll even if they are on a current therapy like hydroxyurea (Hydrea) if they still require phlebotomy and those who were treated with phlebotomy alone, Gerds adds.

Beyond the primary goal of freeing patients from needing phlebotomies, the hope is for rusfertide to also help replenish depleted iron, Gerds adds. Investigators will also examine how this affects quality of life and mutant allele burden, Gerds concludes.