Deferiprone is the only orally active iron-chelating drug to be used therapeutically in conditions of transfusional iron overload. Target：Deferiprone is an orphan drug designed and developed primarily by academic initiatives for the treatment of iron overload in thalassaemia. Deferiprone has been used in several other iron or other metal imbalance conditions and has prospects of wider clinical applications. Deferiprone has high affinity for iron and interacts with almost all the iron pools at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organ levels. Doses of 50-120 mg/kg/day appear to be effective in bringing patients to negative iron balance. Deferiprone increases urinary iron excretion, which mainly depends on the iron load of patients and the dose of the drug.
References:
[1]. Kontoghiorghes GJ, et al. Benefits and risks of deferiprone in iron overload in Thalassaemia and other conditions: comparison of epidemiological and therapeutic aspects with deferoxamine. Drug Saf. 2003;26(8):553-584.