Dr. Snyder on How Ruxolitinib and Fedratinib May Pave the Way to Transplant in Myelofibrosis

David S. Snyder, MD, associate chair of the Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, professor of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, and hematologist/oncologist at City of Hope, discusses how ruxolitinib (Jakafi) and fedratinib (Inrebic) may be used to pave the way toward transplant for patients with myelofibrosis.

The drugs that are available for the treatment of MPNs, ruxolitinib and fedratinib, are effective at helping to control systemic symptoms and to help reduce splenomegaly, says Snyder. However, they do not cure the disease nor do they change the natural history of the diseases. As such, ruxolitinib and fedratinib are not substitutes for transplant but they may help pave the way toward transplant. Patients who are treated with those drugs may experience a reduction in the size of their spleen and improvement in performance status, which are characteristics that could help their outcomes after transplant, concludes Snyder.