Starting Wayrilz (rilzabrutinib)Your first 90 days with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP): the steps, the dates and who to call

How you take it

One tablet two times a day, at about the same times each day, swallowed whole with a glass of water, with or without food.

Before your first dose

• A blood test to check your liver. Your doctor checks it again later if needed.
• A pregnancy test if you could become pregnant. The label advises birth control while you take Wayrilz and for 1 week after the last dose.
• A full medicine check. Bring a list of every medicine, vitamin and herbal product you take, including heartburn medicines.
• The label says to avoid grapefruit, starfruit and Seville oranges, which are often in marmalade. They can raise the amount of Wayrilz in your blood.
• Your doctor's office signs you up with HemAssist, the drugmaker's support program. HemAssist checks your insurance and looks for help paying.
• Your insurance approves the medicine. New patients may get the first month free, and a specialty pharmacy ships it to you.

The first 90 days

1. 2 weeks beforeLiver blood test, and a pregnancy test if it applies
2. 10 days beforeHemAssist enrollment and the insurance request
3. Days beforeThe specialty pharmacy ships
4. Day 1First dose, 1 tablet, then another that evening
5. Day 31, then every 30 daysRefill, then about every 30 days
6. Around week 5In the study, the typical time to a first rise in platelets was about 5 weeks
7. Week 12The trial's 12-week checkpoint