Study: New Drug Better for Platelet Problem

A new drug to treat a low platelet count in the blood worked better than standard treatments in a study. Researchers reported on the study November 11 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The drug is called romiplostim. It mimics a natural body chemical that prompts the bone marrow to make platelets. These are a type of blood cell that causes clotting. Researchers tested the drug in 234 people. They all had a condition called immune thrombocytopenic purpura. This condition causes a low platelet count. It can lead to bleeding and bruising. Standard treatments often fail. Spleen removal is a last-resort treatment. It can cure the condition but increase the risk of infections for a lifetime. People in the study were randomly assigned to receive standard treatments or weekly injections of romiplostim.