The Korea Food and Drug Administration announced on the 20th that it has approved the adult immune thrombocytopenia treatment 'Tavalisse' (ingredient name fostamatinib), developed by the American pharmaceutical company Rigel Pharmaceuticals.
Immune thrombocytopenia, a rare disease, is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system malfunctions, attacking or destroying platelets, leading to skin petechiae and purpura.
Tavalisse operates by inhibiting the non-receptor tyrosine kinase (Syk) present in blood cells. It prevents platelet destruction while also disrupting the macrophage's phagocytosis of platelets. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018.
A Food and Drug Administration official noted, "Tavalisse was designated for expedited review in July 2023 to ensure its rapid introduction into domestic medical practice, and we expect it to provide new treatment opportunities for patients who have shown insufficient response to adult immune thrombocytopenia treatments."