Dapagliflozin for Anemia in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Summary

This study is a prospective, single-arm, phase II clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in improving anemia in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Anemia is the most common clinical problem in patients with lower-risk MDS and often leads to fatigue, reduced quality of life, and the need for repeated blood transfusions. Current treatment options, including erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and other therapies, are not effective in all patients, and additional treatment options are needed. Dapagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that is widely used for the treatment of diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Previous studies have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors can increase hemoglobin levels, possibly by stimulating erythropoiesis. In this study, eligible patients will receive dapagliflozin 10 mg orally once daily for 24 weeks. The primary objective is to evaluate the hemoglobin response rate during the study period. Secondary objectives include changes in hemoglobin levels, transfusion requirements, and safety outcomes. This study aims to explore whether dapagliflozin can serve as a potential treatment option for anemia in patients with lower-risk MDS.

Timeline

Start

2026-09

Primary completion

2029-01

Completion

2029-09

Publications

• Results Mazer CD, Hare GMT, Connelly PW, Gilbert RE, Shehata N, Quan A, Teoh H, Leiter LA, Zinman B, Juni P, Zuo F, Mistry N, Thorpe KE, Goldenberg RM, Yan AT, Connelly KA, Verma S. Effect of Empagliflozin on Erythropoietin Levels, Iron Stores, and Red Blood Cell Morphology in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Coronary Artery Disease. Circulation. 2020 Feb 25;141(8):704-707. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.044235. Epub 2019 Nov 11. No abstract available.
• Results Alsugair A, Fathima S, Aperna F, Gangat N, Tefferi A. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor treatmentassociated changes in hemoglobin level in anemic patients with myelodysplastic syndromes or myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. Haematologica. 2025 Jun 1;110(6):1422-1425. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2024.287032. Epub 2025 Jan 23. No abstract available.

Drugs

Indications