Advice for Use of Newly-Approved Pacritinib in MF and Severe Thrombocytopenia

John Mascarenhas, MD, professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, director of the Center of Excellence for Blood Cancers and Myeloid Disorders, and a member of The Tisch Cancer Institute, provides advice to oncologists on the use of pacritinib (Vonjo) to treatment patients with myelofibrosis and severe thrombocytopenia.

According to findings from the PERSIST-1 (NCT01773187), PERSIST-2 (NCT02055781), and the phase 2 dose-finding PAC203 studies which recently supported the FDA approval for pacritinib as treatment patients with myelofibrosis and severe thrombocytopenia, the agent is effective and safe.

Common adverse reactions observed when pacritnib was administered at the 200-mg twice daily dose were diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, nausea, anemia and peripheral edema. Patients may need to be monitored to identify toxicities early on, according to Mascarenhas.

Transcription:

0:07 | I think monitoring the patient [is important]. So, following the patients, particularly early on in the treatment. For patients of this nature, I would have them in the office every week to follow blood counts, to make sure that they're not taking concurrent anticoagulants. And this can help set expectations in terms of the GI toxicity, and oncologists should perhaps have zofran or Imodium available for the patient.

0:37 | The reality is that most patients will do very well. But you want to be sure that for the patients who may have some GI toxicity, that they're aware of that potential, and they have the right tools at home to address it.