Ferriprox=Kelfer???????

Hi Every one,,

i was just wondering if any one of you know about any difference between ferriprox and kelfer,about a month ago ferriprox was not available here in karachi, we contacted zainab's doctor and asked him that if we can give her kelfer instead, he said no,he said it has more side effects then ferriprox and we don't suggest it,i think my friends from India will be able to answer this question ,any one using kelfer experienced any side effects??do u think that kelfer has more side effects then ferriprox?? another factor is the price,,ferriprox is for pk RS 7700,which is nearly 125 US $,and kelfer is for PK RS 500,which is less then even 10 US $,   So the price is also killing us,so we always thought that we won't affect our daughter's health only due to extra costs, but if kelfer is doing the same function,and same side effects ,,i think it would be a financial relief :chill,so please inform me of your experiences,let me know what you people know about the formulas of ferrirox and kelfer, is there any difference?? can we switch to kelfer?? or should continue with ferriprox??please i'd be waiting for your replies.
THANX.

LOVE TO U ALL.

ZAINI.

Both drugs are deferiprone (L1). Ferriprox is made by Apotex and Kelfer is made by Cipla of India. Cipla supplies the drug at its cost, hence the huge difference in price. Both drugs are the same chemical and both carry the same warnings. You can read about kelfer at http://www.cipladoc.com/therapeutic/admin.php?mode=prod&action=disp&id=212

I know many Indian patients using kelfer and it is why we are seeing an increase of patients now in their 30's in India.

If you read the research about the different chelating drugs, you will see there is no doubt about which drug is superior for removing heart iron. Deferiprone is the superior drug and multiple studies have backed this up. Heart disease is the number one cause of death among thalassemics. Removing iron from the heart is essential for long term survival of thals. More and more, doctors are recommending combination chelation therapy using both desferal and deferirpone.

Both drugs are deferiprone (L1). Ferriprox is made by Apotex and Kelfer is made by Cipla of India. Cipla supplies the drug at its cost, hence the huge difference in price. Both drugs are the same chemical and both carry the same warnings. You can read about kelfer at http://www.cipladoc.com/therapeutic/admin.php?mode=prod&action=disp&id=212

I know many Indian patients using kelfer and it is why we are seeing an increase of patients now in their 30's in India.

If you read the research about the different chelating drugs, you will see there is no doubt about which drug is superior for removing heart iron. Deferiprone is the superior drug and multiple studies have backed this up. Heart disease is the number one cause of death among thalassemics. Removing iron from the heart is essential for long term survival of thals. More and more, doctors are recommending combination chelation therapy using both desferal and deferirpone.

Though i got side effects of Kelfer when i used it when launched in India but one of my friend's recent T2*MRI shows Heart Iron loading 28.8 and Liver Iron 340 . As he was using Kelfer till 2008 when Asunra Launched in india.
So , Kelfer is obviously CARDIO PROTECTIVE[/b], if it is tolarated by you.

Oh, you mean T2 is 28? That's very great. Anything above 20 is a bonus and 20 is minimum. I am excited as well as thrilled to see what my results maybe when I get it done.

-P.

I have been using Kelfer since years.

Difference, as many ppl say,is that Kelfer has increased chances of side effects most commonly joint pains. However, not everybody gets that and many people are fully compatible with kelfer with no side effects like myself. Most ppl in Pakistan recommend Ferriprox just because we prefer canadian product over South Asian and it is a belief that side effects by ferriprox are less than by kelfer.

Another thing i heard,  perhaps not backed by evidences, that ferriprox removes iron from liver while kelfer removes from heart.

If kelfer is well tolerated by a patient, given its cheap cost, i would strongly recommend it.

I used Kelfer till May 2008 until Asunra was introduced at the same time. Thereafter, since 4 years, am on Exjade/Asunra. However, I had very bad bone/leg pain in 2006 (not related to one that I had in 2009 due to osteoporosis) and I was limping, perhaps due to Kelfer/L1.

However, only for sake of wanting the nice effect of Kelfer for cardio function, I'm sometimes tempted to start it and Desferal (however never tried desferal and that's why I feel awkward; although I take insulin so it's not that I'm scared, but just get bored). Could Andy guide me on this? Will my heart be strong even if I continue Asunra and iron levels stay low?

-P.

Ferriprox and Kelfer are the same drug and both are superior for removing cardiac iron.

Asunra or Exjade will keep your heart free from iron when your heart is already clean. It is not as efficient as Ferriprox at removing a high cardiac iron load. It is an excellent maintenance drug, but it is difficult to lower a high cardiac iron load with Exjade only. Combination chelation is usually necessary to reduce a high iron load, although 7 days a week with desferal can also do the job.