Description
Filgrastim, also referred to as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), is produced by a number of different tissues to stimulate the bone marrow to produce granulocytes. It also stimulates the survival, proliferation, differentiation and function of neutrophil granulocyte progenitor cells and mature neutrophils.
Filgrastim is a 175 amino acid protein produced by recombinant DNA technology. It is a cytokine that belongs to the family of drugs called hematopoietic (blood-forming) agents. The product is expressed in Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria into which has been inserted the human granulocyte colony stimulating factor gene. Filgrastim has a molecular weight of 18,800 Daltons (18.8 kDa). The protein has an amino acid sequence that is, with one exception, identical to the natural sequence predicted from human DNA sequence analysis. Since Filgrastim is produced in E.coli, the product is non-glycosylated and thus differs from G-CSF isolated from a human cell.

Indications
· Adjuvant therapy to acute Myelogenous Leukemia
· Leukapheresis
· Neutropenia
· Bone marrow transplants

Off label indications
Clinically relevant:
· Myelodysplastic syndrome
Not clinically relevant:
· Aplastic anemia