Shire has published findings from a head-to-head clinical study comparing the efficacy of two non-calcium based phosphate binders, Fosrenol and Genzyme’s Renagel in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on haemodialysis.
The results of the study showed a statistically larger reduction in serum phosphorus within the group, suggesting that Fosrenol may offer greater serum phosphorus reduction in CKD patients on haemodialysis.
In this 12-week crossover study, patients were randomized to receive either Fosrenol or Renagel for four weeks, and then switched to the alternative phosphate binder for the same period.
Trial lead investigator Professor Stuart Sprague said that the findings suggest that over four weeks of treatment, Fosrenol may be a more effective binder of phosphate.
“Further research is now required to evaluate whether the trends observed in this crossover study are continued in the long term,” said Sprague.
The study’s primary endpoint, change in serum phosphorus from baseline to end of treatment, was evaluated using several statistical analyses.
