• Tadao Akizawa, Manabu Iwasaki, Tetsuro Otsuka, Michael Reusch, and Toshihiro Misumi.
• Showa University School of Medicine, Namics 301, 4-24-51 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. akizawa@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
• Adv Ther. 2019 Jun 1; 36 (6): 1438-1454.

IntroductionThis study evaluated efficacy and safety/tolerability of roxadustat, an oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, in Japanese anemic non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) patients.MethodsIn this phase 2, double-blind, 24-week study, NDD-CKD patients were randomized to oral placebo or roxadustat (50, 70, or 100 mg) three times weekly (TIW) for 6 weeks followed by dose adjustments to maintain hemoglobin (Hb) at 10-12 g/dL for 18 weeks; patients meeting pre-defined criteria were re-randomized to TIW or once-weekly dosing. The primary end point was rate of rise of Hb (g/dL/week) during the first 6 weeks; secondary end points included response rate (Hb ≥ 10.0 g/dL and increase in Hb from baseline ≥ 1 g/dL) and mean Hb and change from baseline in Hb at weeks 18-24. The main safety outcomes were vital signs, laboratory test results, electrocardiograms, and frequency of treatment-emergent adverse events.ResultsOf 107 patients randomized, 83 completed the study. The mean (SD) rate of rise of Hb during the first 6 weeks was - 0.052 (0.142) for placebo and + 0.200 (0.160), + 0.453 (0.256), and + 0.570 (0.240) for roxadustat 50-, 70-, and 100-mg TIW groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Response rate was 14.8% for placebo and 81.5%, 100%, and 100% for roxadustat TIW groups (p < 0.001). Change in Hb from baseline at weeks 18-24 was - 0.17 (0.61) for placebo and + 1.10 (0.71), + 1.33 (0.82), and + 1.55 (0.88) g/dL for roxadustat TIW groups (p < 0.001). No deaths or major adverse cardiac events occurred with roxadustat.ConclusionRoxadustat was well tolerated and effective in correcting Hb levels within 6 weeks in Japanese anemic NDD-CKD patients.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01964196. Registered 15 October 2013 (retrospectively registered).FundingAstellas Pharma Inc.

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