What Is Erythropoietin? Benefits, Research & Safety

The existence of a humoral factor controlling red blood cell production was first proposed in the early 20th century. The term "erythropoietin" was coined in 1948 by Eva Bonsdorff and Eeva Jalavisto. Key milestones in EPO history: **1950s-1960s:** Researchers confirmed EPO's existence and its renal origin. Allan Erslev demonstrated that plasma from anaemic animals could stimulate red cell production in normal animals. **1977:** EPO was purified from human urine by Takaji Miyake and Eugene Goldwasser, yielding milligram quantities from thousands of litres of urine from patients with aplastic anaemia. **1983:** The EPO gene was cloned by Fu-Kuen Lin at Amgen, enabling recombinant production. **1989:** The FDA approved epoetin alfa (Epogen/Procrit) for treating anaemia in chronic kidney disease patients—one of the first major biotechnology drugs. **1990s-2000s:** EPO's misuse in sports became widespread, particularly in cycling. The death of several cyclists was linked to EPO abuse. This led to the development of EPO detection tests. **2000s-present:** Longer-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) were developed (darbepoetin alfa, CERA). Safety concerns emerged about target haemoglobin levels, leading to revised dosing guidelines.