April 20, 2010 （佛州奧蘭多）－ Peginesatide（Hematide，Affymax）一種研究中胜肽為主的紅血球生成刺激藥物（ESA），一個月投予一次，對於治療接受透析的貧血患者是有效且可耐受的。發表在國家腎臟基金會（NKF）2010年春季臨床會議上的兩項第二期臨床研究與兩項進行中的長期展延研究，顯示出這個新藥的效果。
Peginesatide Safe, Effective in Treating Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease
By Deborah Brauser
Medscape Medical News
April 20, 2010 (Orlando, Florida) — Peginesatide (Hematide, Affymax), an investigational peptide-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA), given once monthly, is effective and tolerable in treating anemia in patients on hemodialysis. Combined results from 2 phase?2 studies and 2 ongoing long-term extension studies presented here at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) 2010 Spring Clinical Meetings demonstrate the efficacy of the new drug.
"Hematide is the first synthetic peptidic ESA currently in phase?3 development for the treatment of anemia associated with [chronic kidney disease]," reported lead investigator Brigitte Schiller, MD, nephrologist and chief medical officer at Satellite Healthcare in Mountain View, California.
"We are always looking into ways to improve outcomes for dialysis patients, including ways we can decrease the amount of labor used to administer drugs, so that we can ultimately improve direct patient care through time gain," she added. "So we are very intrigued to have potentially a long-acting ESA that promises to be given only once a month."
Hemoglobin Levels Maintained
A total of 100 hemodialysis patients (55% male; mean age, 57.5 years; 50% black, 37% white, 13% Hispanic) with stable hemoglobin levels (mean, 11.6?g/dL) who were taking epoetin alfa were enrolled in the initial studies and treated with peginesatide once monthly for 24 weeks.
The patients who went on to participate in 1 of the 2 open-label extension studies, lasting up to 30 more months (mean exposure, 2.2 years), continued receiving peginesatide; dose adjustments were made as needed to maintain a 10 to 12?g/dL hemoglobin level.
The results showed that the mean hemoglobin levels were maintained within 1?g/dL of baseline levels for the full 36 months.
In addition, "median peginesatide doses remained relatively stable over 36 months of treatment," reported Dr. Schiller.
Although adverse events were reported for 93 patients, only 9 of these events were considered to be possibly related to the study drug. These included hypertension, anxiety, dizziness, dyspnea, leukopenia, and decreased red blood cell count.
Of the 70 patients reporting serious adverse events, only 1 event (fatal pulmonary embolism) was considered to be possibly related to peginesatide.
Finally, 29 patients received transfusions during the course of the studies, 59% of which were considered to be due to concurrent events, such as surgery and gastrointestinal bleeding, and none of the patients developed treatment-specific antibodies.
"The safety profile of peginesatide appeared consistent with that of marketed ESAs, so the adverse events were pretty much what were expected," said Dr. Schiller.
"Overall, these are preliminary data," she added. "The phase?3 trials have just been finished and data analysis is on the way. But so far, I think, [this drug] has shown that it can maintain hemoglobin over an extended time."
"I'd say the number?1 takeaway message is that there is the potential that a long-acting ESA may come to market in the United States. I'm very hopeful," said Dr. Schiller.
Preliminarily Optimistic
"Overall, my impression is that this offers another alternative as an [ESA]. In the era of bundling, with there being perhaps less dosages needed with [peginesatide], this might be an important medication for us to think about," said NKF program cochair Michael Choi, MD, associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and vice chair of education for the NKF Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative.
Peginesatide might prevent "some of the very rare reactions [that occur] with some of the other synthetic [ESAs], where antibodies can be formed," added Dr. Choi, who was not involved with this study. "This will prevent that, theoretically, and, at least in this poster, it seems like it's doing pretty well."
"Preliminarily, it seems that it will give us something else on our list of medications that we may be able to use to combat anemia. So we're eagerly awaiting the [phase?3] results," he concluded.
These studies were supported by Affymax and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. Dr. Schiller and Dr. Choi disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
National Kidney Foundation (NKF) 2010 Spring Clinical Meetings: Abstract Poster?161. Presented April?14, 2010.
