Dr. Komrokji on Pacritinib for the Treatment of Myelofibrosis

Rami S. Komrokji, MD, clinical director, Hematologic Malignancies, Moffitt Cancer Center, discusses an analysis of pacritinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis.

Currently, only one JAK2 inhibitor, ruxolitinib, is approved for the treatment of myelofibrosis, though several others are being investigated. Pacritinib, a dual JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor, was looked at in an integrated analysis from 2 phase I/II clinical trials. Databases from the trials in advanced myeloid malignancies and myelofibrosis evaluated the rate of adverse events and favorable spleen responses in patients with myelofibrosis and thrombocytopenia.

Komrokji says thrombocytopenia occurs in about one-third of patients with myelofibrosis and is associated with poor outcomes. A limitation of many new JAK2 inhibitors is myelosuppression.

This integrated analysis found that pacritinib was well tolerated with no instances of major adverse events in myelofibrosis, regardless of a patient’s baseline platelet counts.