Technology evaluation: thrombopoietin, Genentech/Pharmacia & Upjohn.
Thrombopoietin is a protein factor that promotes growth and platelet production and can be used to avert thrombocytopenia, which can cause uncontrolled bleeding in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Genentech, having cloned the gene encoding thrombopoietin, are developing a recombinant protein technology in collaboration with Pharmacia & Upjohn for the potential treatment of thrombocytopenia in chemotherapy patients [274038]. The technology entered phase II/III clinical trials in 1998 and these were ongoing as of February 2000 [355591].
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Cooper Health System, UMDNJ School, 3 Cooper Plaza, Camden, NJ 08103, USA. goldberg-jack@cooperhealth.edu
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D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001709:Biotechnology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D010976:Platelet Count; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013926:Thrombopoietin