Nplate

Generic name:romiplostim [ ROM-i-PLOS-tim ]
Drug class:Platelet-stimulating agents

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Mar 4, 2021.

What is Nplate?

Nplate is a man-made form of a protein that increases production of platelets (blood-clotting cells) in your body.

Nplate is a prescription medicine used to prevent bleeding episodes in people with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a bleeding condition caused by a lack of platelets in the blood.

Nplate is for use in adults and children who are at least 1 year old.

Nplate is also used to treat people including newborns who have been exposed to high levels of radiation (acute radiation syndrome). The effectiveness of Nplate for this use was only studied in animals, because it could not be studied in people.

Warnings

Nplate is not a cure for ITP and it will not make your platelet counts normal if you have this condition.

Nplate may increase your risk of a blood clot or stroke. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of a blood clot, such as sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, chest pain, problems with speech or balance, warmth or swelling in an arm or leg.

Before you use Nplate, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease.

Using Nplate long-term can cause harmful effects on your bone marrow that may result in serious blood cell disorders. To be sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

It may take up to 4 weeks of using this medicine before it is completely effective in preventing bleeding episodes. Talk with your doctor if you have any bruising or bleeding episodes after 4 weeks of treatment.

After you stop using Nplate, your risk of bleeding may be even higher than it was before you started treatment. Be extra careful to avoid cuts or injury for at least 2 weeks after you stop using Nplate. Your blood will need to be tested weekly during this time.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Nplate if you are allergic to romiplostim.

Using Nplate may increase your risk of developing blood cancers, especially if you have a myelodysplastic syndrome (bone marrow failure disorder, sometimes called "preleukemia"). Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.

To make sure Nplate is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• blood or bone marrow cancer such as leukemia, or myelodysplastic syndrome;

• bleeding problems or a blood clot;

• surgery to remove your spleen; or

• liver disease.

It is not known whether romiplostim will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

If you are pregnant, your name may be list...