Dova Pharmaceuticals presented additional analyses from the phase 3 study - core and extension phase - with avatrombopag (AVA) for the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) taking place in Orlando, 7-10 December. Doptelet (avatrombopag) is a novel, oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TPO-RA) approved by the FDA for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in adult patients who have had insufficient response to previous treatment. It is also approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic liver disease who are scheduled to undergo a procedure. Avatrombopag is different than other orally available TPO-RAs in that it does not have a boxed warning for hepatoxicity, is administered with food, and does not have any specific dietary restrictions. Further, it does not interact with polyvalent cations (calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, zinc, etc.) in foods, mineral supplements, or antacids that could reduce systemic exposure. Platelet response rates were similar in the core study and extension phase. Durable responders maintained a high rate of platelet response and complete platelet response in the extension phase, providing evidence that AVA-responding patients will likely continue to respond for extended treatment periods. Additionally, consistent efficacy was noted, as patients in the placebo group who rolled over to active drug demonstrated similar efficacy as AVA-treated patients. AVA-treated patients had substantially higher platelet response and complete platelet response rates than those treated with placebo.