Objectives: Limited published data exist on switching therapy from pegcetacoplan pegcetacoplan: EMPAVELI® is the first PNH treatment that binds to complement protein C3. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in May 2021 for treating adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). EMPAVELI is given skin (subcutaneously) by using the Empaveli injector or with an… to iptacopan iptacopan: FABHALTA, a complement factor B inhibitor, is the first oral medication approved to treat adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2023. Fabhalta is taken twice a day in a capsule form. What is FABHALTA? … in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: (par-uk-SIZ-muhl nok-TURN-uhl hee-muh-gloe-buh-NYOOR-ee-uh) A rare and serious blood disease that causes red blood cells to break apart. Paroxysmal means sudden and irregular. Nocturnal means at night. Hemoglobinuria means hemoglobin in the urine. Hemoglobin is the red part of red blood cells. A… (PNH).
Methods: Three patient cases were collected from the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Levine Cancer Institute.
Results: Patient 1 is a 57-year-old woman with PNH. She experienced extravascular hemolysis hemolysis: (hi-MOL-uh-suss) The destruction of red blood cells. (EVH) while on C5 inhibitors and breakthrough hemolysis (BTH) after switching to pegcetacoplan. Patient 2 is a 37-year-old woman seeking care for PNH, who was initiated on C5 inhibitor therapy and switched to pegcetacoplan. EVH and BTH were observed while she was on C5 inhibitor therapy, and transfusions were required with both C5 inhibitor and pegcetacoplan therapy. Patient 3 is a 58-year-old man with aplastic anemia aplastic anemia: (ay-PLASS-tik uh-NEE_mee-uh) A rare and serious condition in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells - red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The term aplastic is a Greek word meaning not to form. Anemia is a condition that happens when red blood cell count is low. Most… and PNH who was initiated on C5 inhibitor therapy, then switched to pegcetacoplan. He experienced both EVH and BTH.
Discussion: All three patients switched from pegcetacoplan to iptacopan, and none experienced EVH or BTH while on iptacopan. After switching to iptacopan, all three patients improved hemoglobin hemoglobin: A protein in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin picks up oxygen in the lungs and brings it to cells in all parts of the body. levels and abating transfusion requirements.
Conclusion: In this case series, three patients with PNH were successfully transitioned from pegcetacoplan to iptacopan monotherapy. No patients exhibited laboratory evidence of BTH, EVH, or intravascular hemolysis after switching to iptacopan.
Keywords: C5 inhibitors; Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria; breakthrough hemolysis; case series; extravascular hemolysis; iptacopan; pegcetacoplan.