# Epoetin alfa

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/epoetin-alfa/  
OnCo record `epoetin-alfa` (Treatment). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Epoetin alfa is a manufactured version of the kidney hormone that tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. In cancer it treats anaemia caused by chemotherapy and reduces the need for transfusions, but it is used cautiously because it can shorten survival and cause clots.

## Summary

Epoetin alfa was approved in June 1989 for anaemia of chronic kidney disease and in 1993 for anaemia due to concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy in non-myeloid malignancies when at least two further months of chemotherapy are planned; the biosimilar Retacrit followed in 2018 and the EU authorised the first epoetin biosimilars in 2007. Trials in the 2000s that targeted higher haemoglobin found worse survival and tumour progression in several cancers, leading to boxed warnings, the ESA APPRISE risk programme (2010 to 2017) and the current rule to use the lowest dose that avoids transfusion, never in patients treated with curative intent. Thromboembolism, hypertension and rare pure red cell aplasia are the safety concerns. Darbepoetin alfa is the long-acting alternative.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-10
- Also known as: Retacrit (epoetin alfa-epbx); Eprex; Binocrit; Abseamed; Erythropoietin; Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)
- Tags: nci-list; supportive
- Brand: Epogen / Procrit
- Modality: Recombinant erythropoietin (erythropoiesis-stimulating agent)
- Mechanism: Recombinant human erythropoietin that binds the erythropoietin receptor on erythroid progenitors, stimulating red cell production by the same mechanism as the endogenous hormone.
- Approvals: US 1989: Anaemia of chronic kidney disease; US 1993: Anaemia due to concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy in non-myeloid malignancies; EU 2007: First epoetin alfa biosimilars (Binocrit, Abseamed, Epoetin alfa Hexal) including chemotherapy-induced anaemia

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoetin_alfa
- US label (DailyMed): https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?labeltype=all&query=epoetin%20alfa
- NCI drug page: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/epoetinalfa
- EPAR (Binocrit): https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/binocrit

## Connected records

- drugs: [Darbepoetin alfa](https://onco.cc/drugs/darbepoetin-alfa/), [Epoetin theta](https://onco.cc/drugs/epoetin-theta/)
- cancers: [Lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes](https://onco.cc/cancers/mds-lower-risk/), [Primary myelofibrosis](https://onco.cc/cancers/primary-myelofibrosis/)
- technologies: [Transfusion support and anaemia management](https://onco.cc/technologies/transfusion-support/)
- companies: [Amgen](https://onco.cc/companies/amgen/), [Johnson & Johnson](https://onco.cc/companies/johnson-johnson/), [Pfizer (incl. Seagen)](https://onco.cc/companies/pfizer/)
- targets: [Erythropoietin receptor (EPOR)](https://onco.cc/targets/epor/)
- trials: [COMMANDS](https://onco.cc/trials/commands/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/epoetin-alfa.json