FDA approves treatment for patients with rare bone marrow disorder | FDA

FDA approves treatment for patients with rare bone marrow disorder | FDA





FDA approves new treatment for patients with certain types of myelofibrosis

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Inrebic (fedratinib) capsules to treat adult patients with certain types of myelofibrosis. The prescribing information for Inrebic includes a Boxed Warning to advise health care professionals and patients about the risk of serious and fatal encephalopathy (brain damage or malfunction), including Wernicke’s, which is a neurologic emergency related to a deficiency in thiamine. Health care professionals are advised to assess thiamine levels in all patients prior to starting Inrebic, during treatment and as clinically indicated. If encephalopathy is suspected, Inrebic should be immediately discontinued. Common side effects for patients taking Inrebic are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and muscle spasms. Health care professionals are cautioned that patients may experience severe anemia (low iron levels) and thrombocytopenia (low level of platelets in the blood). Patients should be monitored for gastrointestinal toxicity and for hepatic toxicity (liver damage). The dose should be reduced or stopped if a patient develops severe diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Treatment with anti-diarrhea medications may be recommended. Patients may develop high levels of amylase and lipase in their blood and should be managed by dose reduction or stopping the mediation. Inrebic must be dispensed with a patient Medication Guide that describes important information about the drug’s uses and risks. For more information, please visit: Inrebic.