Efficacy and Safety of Peginesatide Injection for the Maintenance Treatment of Anemia in Peritoneal Dialysis Participants Previously Treated With Epoetin.

According to the International Federation of Renal Registries, in 1999 the prevalence of peritoneal dialysis in the United States as approximately 9.5% of patients receiving dialysis (2005 United States Renal Data Systems data indicates a prevalence of around 7.5%). Data from Europe in 1999 to 2000 (not including the United Kingdom, France or Germany) indicated peritoneal dialysis was the mode of dialysis in approximately 11.1% of dialysis patients. 2006 data from the United Kingdom indicates that more than 20% of patients on dialysis are receiving peritoneal dialysis while French and German data indicate rates of 8.1% and 4.8% respectively. More than 90% of patients with chronic renal failure/chronic kidney disease Stage 5 (End Stage Renal Disease) are anemic. The vast majority of patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis receive erythropoiesis-stimulating agent therapy to treat their anemia.

Anemia of chronic renal failure is due to several factors, primarily the inability of the diseased kidneys to produce adequate amounts of endogenous erythropoietin. Ancillary factors also include the shortened lifespan of red blood cells, iron and other nutritional deficiencies, infection, and inflammation. The prevalence of anemia increases with progressive deterioration of renal function, and affects more than 90% of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage 5 (End Stage Renal Disease). Anemia is associated with increased mortality, increased likelihood of hospitalization, reduced cognitive function and exercise capacity, increased left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure. Treatment of anemia reduces morbidity and mortality risks and may improve quality of life.

Erythropoiesis stimulating agents have been established as a treatment for anemia in chronic renal failure participants, and have improved the management of anemia over alternatives such as transfusion. Peginesatide (hematide) is a parenteral formulation being developed for the correction of anemia in patients with chronic renal failure, and binds to and activates the human erythropoietin receptor and stimulates erythropoiesis in human red cell precursors in a manner similar to other known erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

Participants in this study received variable doses of peginesatide injection once every four weeks. Total commitment time for this study was about 29 weeks.