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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A new era for polycythemia vera treatment has arrived. The FDA has approved Mimrylo (rusfertide), the first hepcidin mimetic for adults with polycythemia vera (PV) who can't get adequate control with existing therapies. In the phase 3 VERIFY trial, 76.9% of rusfertide patients avoided phlebotomy between weeks 20–32, compared to just 32.9% on placebo — a major leap forward for a condition that's long relied on blood draws.
A first-in-class win for a tricky blood disorder
The FDA has approved Mimrylo (rusfertide), a once-weekly subcutaneous injection, for adults with polycythemia vera (PV) — a rare blood disorder marked by overproduction of red blood cells. It's the first hepcidin mimetic to reach the market, working by blocking ferroportin to limit iron availability for red blood cell production, ultimately lowering hematocrit levels.
The approval was backed by the phase 3 VERIFY trial, which enrolled 293 PV patients who remained phlebotomy-dependent despite standard-of-care treatment. The results were striking: rusfertide dramatically outperformed placebo on every key measure, including hematocrit control and fatigue scores.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: Uncontrolled hematocrit in PV raises the risk of life-threatening blood clots, and frequent phlebotomies burden patients' daily lives. Mimrylo offers clinicians a targeted, first-in-class option that meaningfully reduces that burden — and could reshape how PV is managed in routine practice.
