Patients with severe thalassemia (thalassemia major) present with severe anemia that requires life-long transfusion therapy, spleen enlargement that may lead to increased transfusion requirement, and other serious complications as early death, growth retardation, bone deformations and iron overload due to blood transfusions. Splenectomy can significantly reduce transfusion requirement in thalassemia patients, but it is associated with an increased risk of serious complications such as sepsis and thrombosis. Preliminary preclinical and clinical data suggest that JAK2 inhibition, by reducing spleen size, may improve hemoglobin levels, thereby eliminating the need for splenectomy and reducing transfusion requirement and related iron overload.

More information: clinicaltrials.gov, ITHANET Clinical Trials