Daratumumab As a Treatment for Adult Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Phase II Study with Safety Run-in (the DART Study)

Background: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is characterized by antibody-mediated platelet destruction and impaired platelet production. Residual long-lived autoreactive plasma cells may be a source of treatment resistance in autoimmune cytopenias. Antiplatelet-specific plasma cells have been detected in the spleen of the rituximab refractory ITP patients. These cells can also migrate and reside in bone marrow as long-lived plasma cells.