Australia finds new treatment for patients with myelofibrosis

Almost 100,000 Australians are living with myelofibrosis, a rare form of blood cancer that causes severe fibrosis in the bone marrow, leading to low platelet counts and an increased risk of bleeding.

Phương pháp điều trị mới mang lại hy vọng cho bệnh nhân mắc bệnh xơ tủy

New treatment offers hope for patients with myelofibrosis. (Illustration photo)

Treatment for the disease is difficult, but a drug developed in Australia called Momelotinib – approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in December 2024 – could help patients overcome some of the most severe symptoms of the cancer.

Momelotinib is the result of 30 years of research by Melbourne scientists Andrew Wilks and Chris Burns. Their invention has won the 2024 Australian Prime Minister's Award for Innovation.

Professor Andrew Perkins, from the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, said anaemia was common in patients, but Momelotinib was effective in preventing or reversing anaemia and helping to control the disease.

Meanwhile, Professor Chris Wilks hopes the drug will not only be useful for myelofibrosis but could also treat many other diseases.

Although the TGA has approved the drug for use, it is not currently included in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

A TGA spokesperson said there were still additional steps to be completed, including negotiating listing terms with sponsors, testing quality and availability, and government considerations. However, many patients said the approval alone gave them optimism in their fight against the disease.

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