Aplastic Anemia Drugs and Treatments
More drugs and treatments are available to treat bone marrow failure disease than ever before. Researchers constantly look for ways to enhance drugs already on the market and develop new ones with fewer side effects. Some drugs treat only one type of the disease, while others may be used to treat more than one type. Check with your doctor to find out which drugs are right for you and why.
Cyclosporine
Brand name: Neoral, Sandimmune
An immunosuppressant, this drug that lowers the body's immune response.
Darbepoetin Alfa
Brand name: Aranesp
A growth factor (cytokine), it is a man-made version of a naturally occurring substance in the body, called erythropoietin, that encourages the bone marrow to make more red blood cells.
Deferasirox
Brand name: Exjade, Jadenu
An iron chelator, this drug is used to remove excess iron from the body.
Deferiprone
Brand name: Ferriprox
Deferiprone is in a class of medications called iron chelators. It works by attaching to iron in the body so that it can be excreted (removed from the body).
Deferoxamine
Brand name: Desferal
Deferoxamine is an iron-binding agent that belongs to a class of drugs known as heavy metal antagonists. It works by helping the kidneys and gallbladder get rid of the extra iron.
Eltrombopag
Brand name: Promacta
Eltrombopag (Promacta) is used to increase the number of platelets (cells that help blood clot) and to decrease the risk of bleeding. It is a man-made platelet growth factor that signals your bone marrow to make more platelets. Eltrombopag was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2014 to treat aplastic anemia. It comes as a tablet and as a powder for oral suspension (liquid) to take by mouth.
Enoxaparin
Brand name: Lovenox
Enoxaparin is in a class of medications called low molecular weight heparins. It works by stopping the formation of substances that cause clots. It is also used in combination with warfarin to treat blood clots in the leg.
Epoetin Alfa
Brand name: Epogen, Procrit
A man-made version of a naturally occurring substance in the body (erythropoietin) that encourages the bone marrow to make more red blood cells.
Filgrastim
Brand name: G-CSF, Neupogen
A man-made version of a naturally occurring substance in the body that promotes white blood cell growth in the bone marrow.
Fludarabine
Brand name: Fludara
An antineoplastic agent, this medicine works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.