Can a hormone mimic curb the need for bloodletting in a blood cancer?

This trial tests whether rusfertide, a synthetic version of the hormone hepcidin, can help people with polycythemia vera—a condition where the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells—by lowering iron availability and keeping red blood cell counts in check. The study enrolls Chinese adults with polycythemia vera who need regular blood removal (phlebotomy) to manage their condition. Participants receive rusfertide injections for up to a year, and researchers track how many phlebotomies are needed, how well hematocrit levels are controlled, and the drug's safety.