Should all patients with immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura receive caplacizumab?

Abstract

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a rare, life-threatening disease that causes systemic platelet-rich microthrombi with multiorgan damage. The historical treatment is based on therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and immunosuppression. Despite survival rates exceeding 85%, unfavorable outcomes including refractoriness, death, and exacerbations of the disease during treatment still calls for a better management strategy. Caplacizumab (Cablivi) appeared recently as a new treatment in iTTP. By inhibiting binding of von Willebrand factor to platelets, caplacizumab prevents platelets aggregation and the formation of microthrombi. Two pivotal randomized controlled trials have provided positive results where the use of caplacizumab is associated with faster platelet count recovery and less unfavorable outcomes. The other strength of this agent is an impressive alleviation in the burden of care, consisting in less TPE sessions and lower volumes of plasma to achieve remission, as well as substantial shortening in the length of hospitalization. However, since the recent approval of caplacizumab for the treatment of iTTP on the basis of these studies, debates remain regarding its systematic use in this indication. Should all patients be benefited from caplacizumab? Should we reserve caplacizumab only to the more severe patients? Should caplacizumab be initiated frontline or as a salvage therapy? If applicable, how should we select patients for caplacizumab? Last, is caplacizumab treatment cost-effective? This review aims at addressing these specific questions at a time when iTTP is entering the area of targeted therapies.