BACKGROUND

Roxadustat, an orally administered hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, is being evaluated for treatment of anaemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

This randomized, open-label, active-controlled Phase 3 study compared roxadustat versus darbepoetin alfa (DA) in non-dialysis-dependent (NDD) CKD patients with anaemia for ≤104 weeks. Doses were titrated to correct and maintain haemoglobin (Hb) within 10.0-12.0 g/dL. The primary endpoint was Hb response in the full analysis set, defined as Hb ≥11.0 g/dL and Hb change from baseline (BL; CFB) ≥1.0 g/dL in patients with BL Hb >8.0 g/dL or CFB ≥2.0 g/dL in patients with BL Hb ≤8.0 g/dL during the first 24 weeks of treatment without rescue therapy (non-inferiority margin, -15%). Key secondary endpoints included change in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), time to first intravenous (IV) iron use, change in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and time to hypertension occurrence. Adverse events were assessed.

RESULTS

Of 616 randomized patients (roxadustat, 323; DA, 293), 424 completed treatment (roxadustat, 215; DA, 209). Hb response with roxadustat was non-inferior to DA (roxadustat: 256/286, 89.5% versus DA: 213/273, 78.0%, difference 11.51%, 95% confidence interval 5.66-17.36%). Roxadustat maintained Hb for up to 2 years. Roxadustat was non-inferior to DA for change in MAP and time to occurrence of hypertension and superior for change in LDL and time to first IV iron use. Safety profiles were comparable between groups. Findings suggest that there was no difference between groups regarding the composite endpoints major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and MACE+ [MACE: 0.81 (0.52-1.25), P = 0.339; MACE+: 0.90 (0.61-1.32), P = 0.583].

CONCLUSIONS

Roxadustat is a viable option to treat anaemia in NDD CKD patients maintaining Hb levels for up to 104 weeks.