Epoetin

Epoetin is a man-made form of the human hormone Erythropoietin (EPO). It stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. If the body does not produce enough Erythropoietin, anemia can occur. This often occurs in people whose kidneys are not working properly.

It is also used to prevent or treat anemia caused by other conditions, such as AIDS or cancer.

Epoetin is created by implanting a cloned Erythropoietin-producing gene into Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cells

Brand names include Epogen®, Procrit®, Eprex® and Aranesp ®.

A rare, but serious side effect of prolonged EPO-treatment is Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA). External link: http://renux.dmed.ed.ac.uk/EdREN/epo/