BioSpace has reported on data presented at the 14th congress of the European Hematology Association from a study comparing romiplostim (Nplate®) to the medical standard of care (SOC) in non-splenectomised patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

The study involved 234 adults with chronic ITP, who were treated with either romiplostim (n=157) or medical SOC (n=77); the latter was prescribed by the investigator according to standard institutional practices or therapeutic guidelines; the only treatments not allowed were investigational agents or other thrombopoietic agents.  A total of 13 (8%) patients who received romiplostim and 27 (35%) of those in the SOC group underwent splenectomy or discontinued the study prior to reporting a splenectomy.  Furthermore, 12% and 27% experienced treatment failure (platelet counts ≤20,000 platelets/microL for four consecutive weeks, a major bleeding event, and/or a change in therapy due to intolerable side effects or bleeding symptoms) or discontinued the study, respectively.  

[No further details of the study design or results are reported in the BioSpace abstract].