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Romiplostim

Generic name: romiplostim
Brand name: Nplate
Dosage form: subcutaneous injection
Drug class: Platelet-stimulating agents

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Apr 4, 2023.

What is romiplostim?

Romiplostim belongs to a class of drugs called TPO (thrombopoietin) peptide mimetics. These drugs help your body to make more platelets, which are cells that help your blood to clot.

Romiplostim works by mimicking the action of your own natural TPO, which is a hormone produced by your liver and kidneys that regulates how many platelets you produce. Romiplostim binds to and activates the same receptors that your own endogenous TPO uses to increase platelet production. It is a TPO receptor agonist.

Romiplostim is a peptibody, which is a peptide fused to an antibody. It was the first fully engineered peptibody designed to stimulate platelet production and was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008.

What is romiplostim used for?

Important information

Romiplostim can cause serious side effects, including:

See “What are the side effects of romiplostim?” below for other side effects of romiplostim.

What should I tell my doctor before receiving romiplostim?

Before receiving romiplostim, first speak to your healthcare provider and understand the benefits and risks of romiplostim. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

How should I receive romiplostim?

What happens if I miss a dose?

If you miss a scheduled dose of romiplostim, call your healthcare provider to schedule your next dose as soon as possible.

What should I avoid while receiving romiplostim?

Avoid situations or medicines that may increase your risk of bleeding.

Dosing information

What are the side effects of romiplostim?

Romiplostim may cause serious side effects.

See “Important information” above.

The most common side effects of romiplostim in adults include:

The most common side effects of romiplostim in children 1 year of age and older include:

People who take romiplostim may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in the bone marrow called “increased reticulin”. These changes may improve if you stop taking romiplostim. Your healthcare provider may need to check your bone marrow for this problem during treatment with romiplostim.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

You may also report side effects to Amgen at 1-800-77-AMGEN (1-800-772-6436).

Interactions

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them and show it to your healthcare provider or pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Romiplostim may harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with romiplostim.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Romiplostim may pass into your breast milk and harm your baby. Do not breastfeed during treatment with romiplostim.

Storage

Store romiplostim vials in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) in the original carton to protect from light. Do not freeze.

If needed, unopened romiplostim vials may be stored in the original carton at room temperature up to a maximum of 25°C (77°F) for a single period of up to 30 days. The new expiration date must be written in the space provided on the carton. Once stored at room temperature, do not place back in the refrigerator. If not used within the 30 days, discard romiplostim.

What are the ingredients in romiplostim?

Active ingredient: romiplostim

Inactive ingredients: L-histidine, mannitol, polysorbate 20, sucrose, and hydrochloric acid

Romiplostim is manufactured under the brandname Nplate by Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91320-1799

Popular FAQ

Nplate starts working from the first dose to increase platelet counts. Nplate works quickly to increase platelets. The median time to first platelet response was 2.1 weeks, according the the results of a single-arm, open-label study conducted in 75 adults with immune thrombocytopenia.

Nplate should be discontinued after 4 weeks of treatment at the maximum dose of 10 mcg/kg a week if platelet counts have not increased to sufficient levels. Continue reading

No, Nplate is not a chemotherapy (cancer) drug, it is a prescription medicine used to treat low platelet counts that can lead to bleeding in people with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Continue reading

Nplate (romiplostim) is a once-weekly subcutaneous injection that is administered by your healthcare provider and which is used to treat thrombocytopenia in certain patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have not responded well enough to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins or splenectomy. Continue reading

Nplate (romiplostim) is a biological drug used to treat immune thrombocytopenia (ITP, low blood platelet counts) and increase survival in people exposed to high doses of radiation who have hematopoietic syndrome of acute radiation syndrome (HS-ARS) . Continue reading

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.