Crizanlizumab is a medication used to treat sickle cell disease (SCD). It works by helping to prevent blood cells from sticking together and forming clots, which can cause pain and other complications in people with sickle cell disease. This medication is given through an intravenous (IV) infusion, which means it’s delivered directly into the bloodstream through a vein.

Sickle Cell Disease – A genetic blood disorder where red blood cells become rigid and take on a crescent or sickle shape instead of their normal round form. This inherited condition affects hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. The abnormal cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, causing pain and reducing blood flow to various parts of the body. The misshapen cells also break down more quickly than normal blood cells, which leads to anemia. People with this condition can experience periodic episodes called pain crises when blood flow becomes blocked to an area of the body. The disease is present from birth but symptoms usually begin to appear in early childhood.