Dr. Francesca Palandri is a medical doctor at the University of Bologna in Italy

Dr. Francesca Palandri

Ojjaara helps patients with myelofibrosis by reducing spleen size, easing symptoms, and improving anemia to boost independence from blood transfusions.

Ojjaara Treats Myelofibrosis Symptoms, Anemia and Enlarged Spleen

Ojjaara (momelotinib) is the first treatment of its kind to target all three key features of myelofibrosis: enlarged spleen, symptoms and anemia, Dr. Francesca Palandri, a study author of the phase 3 SIMPLIFY-1 trial, said during an interview with CURE at the European Hematology Association Congress.

In the trial, Ojjaara was shown to be as effective as Jakafi (ruxolitinib) at reducing spleen size and more effective at helping patients with anemia become transfusion independent. By week 24, 67% of patients on Ojjaara were transfusion independent, compared with 49% of those on Jakafi.

Palandri emphasized that addressing all three hallmarks of the disease may lead to longer survival. “We are accumulating more and more evidence that directly correlates resolution of anemia and achievement of transfusion independence with longer overall survival,” she said.

Transfusion independence with Ojjaara was linked to longer survival, highlighting anemia resolution as a critical treatment goal in myelofibrosis, as per the presentation abstract.

Palandri specializes in myeloproliferative neoplasms and has been a lead investigator in multiple international clinical trials.

She is also the associate professor of Hematology at the University of Bologna in Italy and a physician at the IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna (also known as Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital).

Can you explain what patients should understand about the potential survival impact of Ojjaara (momelotinib), particularly in relation to its media targeting events?

Well, I think momelotinib is the first and only JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor that can simultaneously address the three main hallmarks of myelofibrosis: control of splenomegaly, control of symptoms and improvement of anemia. Once we can target all three of these features together, this can result in an improvement in overall survival. We are accumulating more and more evidence that directly correlates resolution of anemia and achievement of transfusion independence with longer overall survival. I think this is going to become one of our major therapeutic targets in the future.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness

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An expert highlights the impact of anemia in myelofibrosis and presented Ojjaara as a possible treatment to reduce transfusions and improve outcomes. 

Ojjaara May Improve Anemia and Reduce Transfusions in Myelofibrosis

The significant burden of anemia for patients with myelofibrosis and the potential benefit of Ojjaara(momelotinib) in this setting was discussed by Dr. Francesca Palandri, study author of the phase 3 SIMPLIFY-1 trial and a medical doctor at the University of Bologna in Italy.

In the phase 3 SIMPLIFY-1 trial, Ojjaara was shown to be as effective as Jakafi (ruxolitinib) at reducing spleen size, but more effective in helping patients with anemia achieve transfusion independence. By week 24, 67% of patients taking Ojjaara were transfusion independent, compared with 49% of those on Jakafi. Transfusion independence was defined as avoiding transfusions and maintaining hemoglobin levels above 8 g/dL for at least 12 weeks.

Palandri emphasized that anemia is common in patients who have myelofibrosis. Around 40% of patients have low hemoglobin at diagnosis, which rises to 60% within a year, and transfusion needs nearly double during that time. Anemia not only shortens survival but also worsens quality of life and increases fatigue, as well as causes social withdrawal and caregiver burden.

She noted that transfusion dependency significantly increases hospital time and costs and also affects work and daily functioning. In her team’s recent analysis in Italy, transfusion-dependent patients spent six times more time in hospitals and incurred 40 times higher direct healthcare costs than those without anemia. Indirect costs like lost productivity were also six times greater.

Because Ojjaara was the only agent in the study to consistently improve both spleen size and anemia, Palandri said these results support making transfusion independence a central treatment goal, particularly for patients with low hemoglobin and lower platelet counts.

Can you explain why improving anemia is important for overall survival and quality of life?

Unfortunately, anemia is one of the main features of myelofibrosis. We know that around 40% of patients will present with hemoglobin less than 10 grams per deciliter at diagnosis, and that percentage increases to around 60% after one year. We also know that about one-quarter of patients require transfusions at diagnosis, and that number nearly doubles within the first year.

Any degree of anemia correlates with decreased survival — patients with severe anemia have a median survival that’s four times shorter than those with no anemia at all. That’s why low hemoglobin is a key factor included in all current prognostic scoring systems for myelofibrosis.

But anemia isn’t only about survival or the risk of transformation to leukemia. It also significantly impacts quality of life. Many patients find transfusions to be very burdensome. Transfusion dependency correlates with a worse quality of life and a greater symptom burden, especially fatigue, which is linked to reduced productivity and social engagement.

For example, in Italy, we recently evaluated both the economic and organizational burden of anemia in myelofibrosis. We found that patients who require transfusions spend six times more time in hospitals than patients without anemia. There were also 40 times higher direct healthcare costs for the National Health System. We looked at indirect costs too — including lost productivity for both patients and caregivers — and found they were six times higher in transfusion-dependent patients.

We also asked patients about their perception of anemia, and they reported a significant disruption across all aspects of their lives, including social, work and daily activities. So overall, anemia is a major burden — for the healthcare system, for caregivers, and most importantly, for patients. It’s also a strong indicator of poor prognosis.

“Impact of dual spleen response and transfusion independence on survival in JAK inhibitor-naive patients with myelofibrosis and anemia treated with momelotinib: a subgroup analysis of SIMPLIFY-1,”by Dr. Francesca Palandri, et al., 

Dr. Francesca Palandri

Ojjaara Treats Myelofibrosis Symptoms, Anemia and Enlarged Spleen

Ojjaara May Improve Anemia and Reduce Transfusions in Myelofibrosis

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