Dr. Francesca Palandri, affiliate professor of Hematology on the College of Bologna in Italy and a doctor on the IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna (also referred to as Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital), not too long ago spoke with us in regards to the position of anemia administration in myelofibrosis.
As a examine writer of the section 3 SIMPLIFY-1 trial, Palandri gave perception into understanding how anemia impacts affected person outcomes. Sufferers with myelofibrosis often expertise important anemia, which influences survival, in addition to considerably impacts high quality of life and every day functioning. On this interview with CURE, she mentioned why enhancing hemoglobin ranges is important, how transfusion dependency impacts sufferers, and the broader financial and organizational implications.
Palandri additionally explored the potential of therapies corresponding to Ojjaara (momelotinib) to handle anemia whereas concurrently controlling disease-related signs, highlighting its promise in enhancing each affected person high quality of life and general survival.
Palandri: Sadly, anemia is without doubt one of the major options of myelofibrosis. We all know that round 40% of sufferers will current with hemoglobin lower than 10 grams per deciliter at prognosis, and that share will increase to round 60% after one yr. We additionally know that about one-quarter of sufferers require transfusions at prognosis, and that quantity practically doubles throughout the first yr.
Any diploma of anemia correlates with decreased survival — sufferers with extreme anemia have a median survival that’s 4 instances shorter than these with no anemia in any respect. That’s why low hemoglobin is a key issue included in all present prognostic scoring techniques for myelofibrosis.
However anemia isn’t solely about survival or the chance of transformation to leukemia. It additionally considerably impacts high quality of life. Many sufferers discover transfusions to be very burdensome. Transfusion dependency correlates with a worse high quality of life and a better symptom burden, particularly fatigue, which is linked to lowered productiveness and social engagement.
What are a few of the broader impacts of anemia for sufferers, caregivers and the healthcare system?
Effectively, in Italy, for instance, we not too long ago evaluated each the financial and organizational burden of anemia in myelofibrosis. We discovered that sufferers who require transfusions spend six instances extra time in hospitals than sufferers with out anemia. There have been additionally 40 instances increased direct healthcare prices for the Nationwide Well being System. We checked out oblique prices too — together with misplaced productiveness for each sufferers and caregivers — and located they have been six instances increased in transfusion-dependent sufferers.
We additionally requested sufferers about their notion of anemia, they usually reported a big disruption throughout all features of their lives, together with social, work and every day actions. So general, anemia is a serious burden — for the healthcare system, for caregivers and most significantly, for sufferers. It’s additionally a powerful indicator of poor prognosis.
Are you able to clarify what sufferers ought to perceive about the potential survival influence of Ojjaara, notably in relation to its anemia-targeting occasions?
Effectively, I believe Ojjaara is the primary and solely JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor that may concurrently deal with the three major hallmarks of myelofibrosis: management of splenomegaly, management of signs and enchancment of anemia. As soon as we will goal all three of those options collectively, this may end up in an enchancment in general survival. We’re accumulating increasingly proof that immediately correlates decision of anemia and achievement of transfusion independence with longer general survival. I believe that is going to grow to be one in every of our main therapeutic targets sooner or later.
References
- Ojjaara Might Enhance Anemia and Scale back Transfusions in Myelofibrosis, by Dr. Francesca Palandri. CURE; July 18, 2025. https://www.curetoday.com/view/ojjaara-may-improve-anemia-and-reduce-transfusions-in-myelofibrosis
- Ojjaara Treats Myelofibrosis Signs, Anemia and Enlarged Spleen, by Dr. Francesca Palandri. CURE; July 24, 2025. https://www.curetoday.com/view/ojjaara-treats-myelofibrosis-symptoms-anemia-and-enlarged-spleen
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
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