Avatrombopag increases platelet count but not platelet activation in patients with thrombocytopenia resulting from liver disease

Essentials Thrombopoietin (TPO) lowers the threshold for platelet activation. TPO receptor agonists (RAs) may therefore also lead to platelet activation. Patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia participated in a randomized trial. The TPO‐RA avatrombopag did not increase platelet activation in vivo or reactivity in vitro. Background The thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist (TPO‐RA) avatrombopag has recently been Food and Drug Administration‐approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) scheduled for a procedure. The TPO receptor c‐mpl is expressed on the platelet surface, and TPO lowers the threshold for platelet activation. TPO‐RAs may therefore also lead to platelet activation. Objectives To evaluate the effects of avatrombopag on platelet activation. Patients/Methods CLD patients with thrombocytopenia participated in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group study. No patient received a platelet transfusion within 10 days of study blood draws. Platelet activation was evaluated with whole blood flow cytometry (which, unlike other methods, is accurate in thrombocytopenic samples). Results Avatrombopag, but not placebo, increased platelet counts. As measured by platelet surface P‐selectin and activated glycoprotein IIb–IIIa: (i) the numbers of circulating activated platelets were not increased in avatrombopag‐treated patients as compared with placebo‐treated patients; and (ii) platelet reactivity to low and high concentrations of ADP and thrombin receptor‐activating peptide was not increased in avatrombopag‐treated patients as compared with placebo‐treated patients. Conclusions In this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group study of CLD patients with thrombocytopenia, avatrombopag increased platelet counts but did not increase platelet activation in vivo or platelet reactivity in vitro.