Sucroferric oxyhydroxide for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Sucroferric oxyhydroxide is a non-calcium, iron-based phosphate binder indicated for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis.

Areas covered: Herein, the preclinical development and clinical data for sucroferric oxyhydroxide are reviewed, including the key data from the Phase III registration study and the latest evidence from the real-world clinical setting.

Expert opinion: Sucroferric oxyhydroxide displays potent phosphate-binding capacity and clinical studies demonstrate its effectiveness for the long-term reduction of serum phosphorus levels in dialysis patients. Observational study data also show that sucroferric oxyhydroxide provides effective serum phosphorus control for hyperphosphatemic patients in the real-world clinical setting. The serum phosphorus reductions with sucroferric oxyhydroxide can be achieved with a relatively low pill burden in comparison with other phosphate binders, which may translate into better treatment adherence in clinical practice. The Phase III data also indicate that sucroferric oxyhydroxide has a favorable impact on other chronic kidney disease-related mineral bone disease parameters, including a fibroblast growth factor-23-lowering effect. Sucroferric oxyhydroxide is well tolerated and associated with low systemic iron absorption, minimizing the potential for iron accumulation or overload. These attributes render sucroferric oxyhydroxide an attractive non-calcium-containing phosphate binder for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronic kidney disease
• hemodialysis
• peritoneal dialysis
• phosphate binder
• sucroferric oxyhydroxide

Box 1. Drug summary box.

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Declaration of interest

S Sprague has received consultancy fees from OPKO Health, Vifor Pharma, Amgen Inc, Fresenius Medical Care as well as research funding from Amgen Inc, Fresenius Medical Care, Shire, OPKO Health and Vifor Pharma. J Floege on the other hand has received consultancy or lecture fees from Amgen Inc, Chugai, Fresenius Medical Care, Sanofi, Shire and Vifor Pharma. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Editorial assistance was provided by AXON Communications, London, UK which was funded by Vifor Pharma.

Reviewer disclosures

One reviewer declared that they were one of the medical advisors for the clinical study of sucroferric oxyhydroxide and have received consultancy fees from Kissei Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was supported by Vifor Pharma.