Ruxolitinib

Indications and Usage

Ruxolitinib is FDA approved for treatment of  

• Intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis, including primary myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis and post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis in adults
• Polycythemia vera in adults who have had an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea
• Steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older
• Chronic graft-versus-host disease after failure of one or two lines of systemic therapy in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older. 

Side effects needing medical attention

Bruising; dizziness; headache; urinary tract infection; weight gain; flatulence; herpes zoster; low platelet counts; low red blood cell counts; low white blood cell counts. 

Tuberculosis has been reported in patients receiving ruxolitinib for myelofibrosis.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare but serious brain infection that can result in death, has been reported with ruxolitinib treatment for myelofibrosis. 

In chronic graft-versus-host disease, the most common adverse reactions are anemia, thrombocytopenia, infections (pathogen not specified) and viral infections.