A low blood platelet count is a frequent complication associated with advanced disease, a problem compounded by the fact that standard antiviral treatment for the disease can further reduce platelet numbers to dangerously low levels, Dr. Samuel Sigal of Weill Cornell Medical College said Friday in a release.

Sigal said tests show eltrombopag increased platelet counts, allowing more patients to complete antiviral therapy.

A Phase 2 placebo-controlled study followed 74 patients with low platelet counts and cirrhosis of the liver due to hepatitis C virus infection. Seventy-four percent of those randomized to take the lowest dose saw their platelet counts go up significantly, while up to 95 percent of the participants saw increases with the highest doses. Less than a quarter of patients receiving placebo completed their therapy.

Eltrombopag is an investigational oral, non-peptide platelet growth factor that induces the proliferation and differentiation of cells to produce platelets. It is taken as a once-a-day pill.