GSK announces initiation of eltrombopag clinical trial

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that it is to begin a single group clinical trial investigating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of eltrombopag in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients

The trial will use three repeated dosing cycles of the compound in patients previously treated for chronic ITP with plenectomy, corticosteroids, immunoglobins or other therapies, with the primary objective of measuring the effect of eltrombopag on platelet counts.

Eltrombopag is a non-peptide thrombopoietin receptor that is thought to reduce the risk of bleeding and bruising in ITP patients by stimulating the differentiation and production of bone marrow cells that manufacture blood platelets known as megakaryocytes.

Paolo Paoletti, senior vice president of the oncology medicine development centre at GSK, said: “We are extremely encouraged by the continued progress in our eltrombopag clinical development programme.”

He added that the firm anticipated the results of the repeat exposure to eltrombopag in adults with ITP (Repeat) trial would signal further progress on the provision of improved ITP treatment for patients.

Last December, GSK reported the that previous clinical trials of the compound had been “promising”, with 70 per cent and 81 per cent of patients achieving the primary endpoint of the study when administered with 50 mg and 75 mg of eltrombopag respectively.