Plerixafor is primarily used in medical settings to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. This is particularly important for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, a procedure often used to treat certain cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. By increasing the number of stem cells in the blood, plerixafor makes it easier to collect these cells for transplantation, improving the chances of a successful treatment outcome. It is typically administered in combination with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) to enhance its effectiveness.

Additionally, plerixafor is used in cases where patients do not respond adequately to mobilization with G-CSF alone or when a sufficient number of stem cells needs to be collected for transplantation. This helps improve the efficiency of the harvesting process and may reduce the risk of complications during treatment.