United Kingdom | Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Companies
All IBTimes

Glaxo drug cuts bleeding in study

Font Scale:
Posted 09 June 2007 @ 06:33 am GMT

GlaxoSmithKline's experimental platelet boosting drug eltrombopag has produced further positive results in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), researchers said on Saturday.

A GlaxoSmithKline employee in a file photo. GlaxoSmithKline's experimental platelet boosting drug eltrombopag has produced further positive results in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), researchers said on Saturday. REUTERS/Luis
A GlaxoSmithKline employee in a file photo. GlaxoSmithKline's experimental platelet boosting drug eltrombopag has produced further positive results in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), researchers said on Saturday. REUTERS...
Article Tags
bleeding drug experimental glaxosmithkline reduces study

Eltrombopag, which Glaxo plans to sell as Revolade in Europe and Promacta in the United States, is one of several novel drugs in the group's pipeline which it believes have blockbuster potential.

Results from a pivotal Phase III study presented at the European Hematology Association congress in Vienna showed 50 to 75 milligrams once daily resulted in a statistically significant increase in platelet counts and also reduced bleeding in people with chronic ITP.

The placebo-controlled trial involved 114 adults and patients studied had previously received and failed current standard ITP treatments.

ITP is an autoimmune disease which results in low blood platelet counts. Because platelets contribute to blood clotting, patients with low counts bleed more easily than others, heal more slowly and bruise more often.

Eltrombopag, which is given as a pill, was discovered as a result of a research collaboration between Glaxo and Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.

IBTimes RSS
E-Newsletters : Enter your Email for Fast News & Opinions