FDA Approves Ferriprox to Treat Patients With Excess Iron in Body

The Food and Drug Administration Oct. 14 approved Ferriprox (deferiprone) to treat iron overload due to blood transfusions in patients with thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that causes anemia, who had an inadequate response to prior chelation therapy.

Patients with thalassemia have excess iron from frequent blood transfusions (transfusional iron overload), a condition that can be fatal, FDA said. These patients also have a risk of developing liver disease, diabetes, arthritis, heart failure, or an abnormal heart rhythm.

The standard of care to treat transfusional iron overload is chelation therapy—chemical agents used to remove heavy metals from the body, the ...