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Epoetin alfa is a manufactured version of the kidney hormone that tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. In cancer it treats anaemia caused by chemotherapy and reduces the need for transfusions, but it is used cautiously because it can shorten survival and cause clots.
Epoetin alfa was approved in June 1989 for anaemia of chronic kidney disease and in 1993 for anaemia due to concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy in non-myeloid malignancies when at least two further months of chemotherapy are planned; the biosimilar Retacrit followed in 2018 and the EU authorised the first epoetin biosimilars in 2007. Trials in the 2000s that targeted higher haemoglobin found worse survival and tumour progression in several cancers, leading to boxed warnings, the ESA APPRISE risk programme (2010 to 2017) and the current rule to use the lowest dose that avoids transfusion, never in patients treated with curative intent. Thromboembolism, hypertension and rare pure red cell aplasia are the safety concerns. Darbepoetin alfa is the long-acting alternative.
Backbone ribbon from PDB 1EER. RCSB PDB 1EER. The ribbon widens where the chain is folded into a regular pattern and narrows where it is a loose loop.
Recombinant human erythropoietin that binds the erythropoietin receptor on erythroid progenitors, stimulating red cell production by the same mechanism as the endogenous hormone.
1.Epoetin alfa slips into a pocket on its target.
Background: ADC sequencing, Antigen escape (antigen loss, lineage switch), BCG-unresponsive, Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). Also on OnCo: Resistance: how tumours escape each drug class · Lines of therapy.
Compare all products across the US, EU, UK, Japan, China and Australia →
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1989 | Anaemia of chronic kidney disease |
| US | 1993 | Anaemia due to concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy in non-myeloid malignancies |
| EU | 2007 | First epoetin alfa biosimilars (Binocrit, Abseamed, Epoetin alfa Hexal) including chemotherapy-induced anaemia |
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Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Epoetin alfa" OR ABSTRACT:"Epoetin alfa" OR TITLE:"Epogen" OR ABSTRACT:"Epogen" OR TITLE:"Procrit" OR ABSTRACT:"Procrit" OR TITLE:"Retacrit epoetin alfa-epbx" OR ABSTRACT:"Retacrit epoetin alfa-epbx" OR TITLE:"Eprex" OR ABSTRACT:"Eprex" OR TITLE:"Binocrit" OR ABSTRACT:"Binocrit") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Epoetin alfa, not a curated reading list.
Shares Lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, Transfusion support and anaemia management and the tag supportive.
Shares Pfizer (incl. Seagen) and the tag supportive.
Shares Amgen and the tag supportive.
Shares Amgen and the tag supportive.
Shares Amgen and the tag supportive.
Shares Erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), Lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, Transfusion support and anaemia management, Primary myelofibrosis.
Shares Darbepoetin alfa, Amgen.