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Desferal (DEFEROXAMINE)
Desferal (Deferoxamine) is a small molecule iron chelator that targets deoxyhypusine hydroxylase. It was originally developed by Novartis and is now owned by Mitem Pharma. Desferal is used to treat chronic iron overload and poisoning by iron and/or its compounds, and has been FDA approved since 1968. The drug is off-patent and has multiple generic manufacturers. Key safety considerations include its short half-life of 3.05 hours and low bioavailability of 5%.
At a glance
| Generic name | DEFEROXAMINE |
|---|---|
| Also known as | desferrioxamine |
| Sponsor | Mitem Pharma |
| Drug class | Iron Chelator |
| Target | Deoxyhypusine hydroxylase |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Hematology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 1968 |
Approved indications
- Chronic Iron Overload
- Poisoning by iron AND/OR its compounds
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Injection site pain
- Localized irritation
- Erythema
- Swelling
- Headache
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Generalized rash
- Urticaria
Serious adverse events
- Anaphylactic reaction
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Acute renal failure
- Mucormycosis
- Yersinia infection
- Shock
- Seizures
- Optic neuritis
- Hepatic dysfunction
- High-frequency sensorineural hearing loss
Key clinical trials
- A Study of Deferoxamine (DFO) in People With Leptomeningeal Metastasis (PHASE1)
- Central Nervous System Uptake of Anti-CD8+ T Cell Minibodies in Multiple Sclerosis and Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PHASE1)
- Zr-89 Crefmirlimab Berdoxam and Immuno-Positron Emission Tomography for the Imaging of Patients With Resectable Brain Tumors (PHASE1)
- Study to Evaluate CD8 PET Imaging as a Marker of Immune Response to Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (ELIXR) (PHASE1)
- Deferoxamine for the Prevention of Cardiac Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (PHASE2)
- Combination of Thalidomide and Hydroxyuria in Transfusion Dependent Thalasemmia (PHASE2)
- Deferoxamine In the Treatment of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aSAH) (PHASE2)
- Early Screening and Treatment of Heart Complication in Sickle Cell Disease (PHASE2)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Desferal CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Desferal updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Mitem Pharma portfolio CI