Phase 3 Trial: Vadadustat Prevents Excessive Hemoglobin Spikes in Renal Anemia

Open-label Phase 3 data show the drug manages renal anemia without excessive hemoglobin surges compared to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

The hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor vadadustat demonstrated more favorable outcomes than erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in an open-label Phase 3 trial for treating renal anemia, according to lomazoma.com lomazoma.com. Data presented at the Kidney Week meeting in Denver indicate that a key advantage of the drug is avoiding excessive increases in hemoglobin levels.

Dialysis patients develop anemia because impaired kidneys fail to produce sufficient amounts of the hormone erythropoietin. While genetically modified variants of the natural hormone, known as ESAs, have served as the standard therapy since the 1990s, vadadustat gained regulatory approval in the European Union in 2023 for treating renal anemia.