Lusutrombopag for thrombocytopenia in Chinese patients with chronic liver disease undergoing invasive procedures

PURPOSE: Probing efficacy and safety of lusutrombopag in Chinese chronic liver disease (CLD) and severe thrombocytopenia (PLT < 50 × 10(9)/L) patients undergoing elective invasive procedures. METHODS: In this double-blind, parallel-group phase 3 study, 66 patients with CLD and severe thrombocytopenia were randomized 2:1 to lusutrombopag or placebo arm treatment regimens for seven days at 9 centers in China. Responders (PLT ≥ 50 × 10(9)/L that increased to ≥ 20 × 10(9)/L from the baseline and not received rescue therapy for bleeding) on Day 8 (the day after seven-day treatment) were assessed. PLT ≥ 50 × 10(9)/L on or after Day 8 and within 2 days before invasive procedure (alternative criteria for not requiring platelet transfusion) were also analyzed. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. RESULTS: The proportion of responders on Day 8 was evidently higher (p = 0.0011) in the lusutrombopag group (43.2%, 19/44) versus placebo (4.5%, 1/22). And 72.7% (32/44) patients receiving lusutrombopag met the alternative criteria for not requiring platelet transfusion, while 18.2% (4/22) in the placebo group. The median maximum PLT in lusutrombopag group increased to 80.5 × 10(9)/L, and median time to reach maximum was 14.5 days. Compared with placebo, the lusutrombopag group had a lower incidence of bleeding events (6.8% versus 13.6%), and only one patient had thrombotic-related AE. Overall, the incidence of treatment-emergent AEs was comparable between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lusutrombopag was effective in raising PLT, diminishing platelet transfusion requirement, and documented a safety profile like the placebo in CLD and severe thrombocytopenia patients in a Chinese cohort undergoing elective invasive procedures. Chinese clinical trial registration number: CTR20192384. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12072-022-10421-9.