epoetin alfa

Epoetin alfa is a recombinant form of human erythropoietin produced using recombinant DNA technology in cell culture. It is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent that acts as a cytokine to stimulate the bone marrow to increase production of red blood cells. Its primary indications are for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), chemotherapy-induced anemia, anemia due to zidovudine treatment in HIV-infected patients, and for reducing the need for allogeneic red blood cell transfusions in certain surgical patients. The drug mimics endogenous erythropoietin by binding to and activating the erythropoietin receptor on erythroid progenitor cells, promoting their survival, proliferation, and differentiation into mature red blood cells[1][2][3][4][5].

Brand names

EpogenProcritRetacritEprex (no longer on the market)BinocritHeberitro

Other names

Erythropoietin Human Glycoform alpha (Recombinant)Recombinant 1 165 Erythropoietin, Glycoform Alpha