How Does Neupogen Work?
Neupogen works by stimulating the production of a certain type of white blood cell called neutrophils. Neutrophils help protect the body from infection, and having a low neutrophil count (known medically as neutropenia) increases the risk of infection. Chemotherapy (including chemotherapy during bone marrow transplantation) often causes neutropenia and infections. Some people are born with a decreased ability to produce neutrophils or stop making neutrophils due to unknown reasons, and Neupogen is also useful for increasing neutrophils in such individuals. Lastly, the drug is useful for stimulating the production of stem cells in the blood that can be collected for stem cell transplantation.
