Akebia Receives FDA Approval of Vafseo® (vadadustat) Tablets for the Treatment of Anemia due to Chronic Kidney Disease in Adult Patients on Dialysis
Akebia Therapeutics®, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vafseo® (vadadustat) Tablets for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults who have been receiving dialysis for at least three months. Vafseo is a once-daily oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PH) inhibitor that activates the physiologic response to hypoxia to stimulate endogenous production of erythropoietin to manage anemia. Vafseo is now approved in 37 countries.
“With the approval of Vafseo in the U.S., we’re proud to deliver an alternative treatment option for the hundreds of thousands of Americans on dialysis who are diagnosed with anemia due to CKD,” said John P. Butler, Chief Executive Officer of Akebia. “At Akebia we are committed to kidney patients, a dedication that has driven our team to achieve this milestone. We believe this commitment uniquely positions the company to execute a successful launch designed to drive toward a potential new oral standard of care for dialysis patients.”
The approval of Vafseo for the treatment of anemia due to CKD in adults who have been receiving dialysis for at least three months is based on efficacy and safety data from the INNO2VATE program and an assessment of post marketing safety data from Japan where VAFSEO was launched in August 2020. Results from the INNO2VATE program were published in the New England Journal of Medicine: (N Engl J Med 2021; 384:1601-1612; N Engl J Med 2021; 384:1589-1600).
Approximately 500,000 adult patients in the U.S. on dialysis suffer from anemia due to CKD1, which may be associated with many adverse clinical outcomes. The burden of managing uncontrolled anemia in CKD patients can be substantial, both in terms of healthcare costs and the impact on patients, healthcare providers and caregivers. Today, most CKD patients are treated for anemia with injectable erythropoiesis-stimulating agents mostly administered at dialysis centers.
Lori Hartwell, who has had kidney disease since she was a young child, is the Founder and President of the Renal Support Network. She expressed her support of this new therapy for adults with anemia due to chronic kidney disease on dialysis by stating, “Anemia is a debilitating condition that significantly impacts our daily lives. It is promising to see the introduction of innovative treatment options for people fighting anemia.”
Akebia intends to commercialize Vafseo in the U.S. with its established commercial team that has deep renal experience and by leveraging its relationship with CSL Vifor, an industry leader in bringing innovative therapies to U.S. dialysis organizations. In line with the approved label, Akebia will execute a launch strategy to drive Vafseo toward the goal of becoming a new oral standard of care for adult dialysis patients.
March 29, 2024
