Oral Iron Chelators: A New Avenue for the Management of Thalassemia Major

Removal of iron excess is the core of the treatment of iron overload caused by multiple transfusions for thalassemia syndrome. Chronically transfused patients develop overload that leads to organ damage and ultimately to death. This review deals with the advances in iron chelating therapy. Regular subcutaneous administration of deferoxamine has dramatically altered the prognosis of thalassemia major and is considered the standard iron chelation therapy at present. Deferiprone is a first orally active iron chelator to reduce body iron to concentrations compatible with the avoidance of complications from iron over loading patients with thalassemia. Another chemical agent has recently been developed as oral active iron chelator; ICL-670 (Deferasirox) for the treatment of iron overload. It is tridentate oral iron chelator having low molecular weight with high selectivity and specificity for iron. The oral iron chelation therapy is the demand of present scenario to fight against the thalassemia major.