Combination therapy with interferon and JAK1-2 inhibitor is feasible: Proof of concept with rapid reduction in JAK2V617F-allele burden in polycythemia vera.

Abstract

We report a 55 year old woman with post-ET PV for 12 years, who experienced resolution of severe constitutional symptoms within 3 days, a marked reduction in splenomegaly and a rapid decline in the JAK2V617F allele burden during combination therapy with interferon-alpha2a and ruxolitinib. Within 4 weeks the patient achieved complete hematological remission with normalization of peripheral blood counts and within 10 months the JAK2V617F-allele burden was reduced from 90% to 28%. Such a rapid decline in the JAK2V617F allele burden is highly unusual in PV-patients during low-dose IFN-alpha2 monotherapy and this finding warrants a prospective study with combination therapy.

• Authors: M E Bjørn, K de Stricker, L Kjær, K Ellemann, H C Hasselbalch
• Journal: Leukemia research reports (Leuk Res Rep) Vol. 3 Issue 2 Pg. 73-5 ( 2014) ISSN: 2213-0489 [Print] England
• PMID: 25379406 (Publication Type: Journal Article)