Ropeginterferon alfa-2b for the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera.

Ropeginterferon alfa-2b is a novel mono-PEGylated alfa interferon. It is the first interferon approved for the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and the first and only approved treatment for PV independent of previous hydroxyurea exposure. In contrast to other interferons, the drug has to be subcutaneously injected every 2 weeks only, with intervals of 4 weeks being possible after prolonged use. It is generally well tolerated and can lead to deep molecular responses. In this article, we provide a review of available preclinical and clinical data of ropeginterferon alfa-2b leading to its E.U. approval and give an outlook on future clinical trials involving this drug. Copyright 2020 Clarivate Analytics.