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Wolfgang Miesbach: Caplacizumab as Frontline Therapy for iTTP
Dec 20, 2025, 12:07

Wolfgang Miesbach: Caplacizumab as Frontline Therapy for iTTP

Wolfgang Miesbach, Professor of Medicine at Frankfurt University Hospital, shared on LinkedIn:

“Caplacizumab as Frontline Therapy for iTTP: Is Plasmapheresis Still Needed? Priv.-Doz. Dr.med. Linus Völker presented at ASH compelling evidence that caplacizumab can work without plasma exchange in selected patients.

Systematic evidence: >100 plasma-free iTTP episodes

  • First case reports and small series: ~10 episodes
  • Kühne et al., Blood 2024 (Austria/Germany): 42 episodes with 90.5% clinical response without TPE and a median time to platelet normalization: 3 days (vs. 4 days with TPE, p=0.31), however, 4 patients required rescue TPE
  • Knöbl, ISTH 2025: 34 episodes
  • MAYARI Trial, ISTH 2025: 46 episodes and 93.5% remission without TPE (43/46 patients), 95.7% remission overall (44/46 patients)

This strategy is off-label and requires institutional capabilities:

  • Extensive iTTP treatment experience at specialized centers
  • 24/7 ADAMTS13 activity measurement (turnaround in hours, not days)
  • Immediate caplacizumab access via emergency pharmacy
  • Plasma exchange instantly available (safety net, not routine)
  • No contraindications to caplacizumab therapy

Crucial to identify the right patient
There are clinical characteristics favoring a plasma-free approach

  • Immediate platelet recovery after the first caplacizumab dose
  • Clinically stable condition at presentation
  • Lower LDH levels at onset
  • Less severe organ involvement (lower ICU admission rates)

A fascinating glimpse into how frontline caplacizumab, in the right setting with the right patient, may allow truly plasma-free management for selected iTTP cases.”

Wolfgang Miesbach

Read more posts from Wolfgang Miesbach on Hemostasis Today.