Incyte scraps anemia program after drug fails to improve symptoms in rare blood cancer

Incyte is dropping a program for patients with myelofibrosis-related anemia after its investigational small molecule failed to improve symptoms in a phase 1/2 trial.

The drug, zilurgisertib, is designed to inhibit activin receptor-like kinase-2 (ALK-2) in order to reduce levels of hepcidin, a hormone that regulates how the body uses iron. Too much hepcidin can lead to a drop in iron levels in the blood, which can cause anemia.