C.E.R.A.: pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with chronic kidney disease

Abstract

C.E.R.A., a continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, has been developed for the treatment of anaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. Compared with other erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, C.E.R.A. has a unique pharmacological profile, including a longer elimination half-life and slower clearance rate. This allows C.E.R.A. to be administered at extended intervals up to once every month. Phase III clinical trials have shown that C.E.R.A. once every 2 weeks corrects anaemia in erythropoiesis-stimulating agent-naive patients who are on or are not on dialysis, whereas once-monthly C.E.R.A. maintains stable haemoglobin levels when patients are directly converted from more frequent epoetin or darbepoetin alfa administration. C.E.R.A. is well tolerated. This review summarises clinical data on C.E.R.A. and discusses the potential effect of this novel agent on clinical practice.

Keywords::

• C.E.R.A.
• chronic kidney disease
• continuous erythropoietin receptor activator
• renal anaemia

Acknowledgement

Medical writing support was provided by C Gardner at Prime Medica Ltd during the preparation of this paper, supported by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Responsibility for opinions, conclusions and interpretation of data lies with the authors.

Disclosure

F Locatelli is on the advisory boards of Amgen, Dompe, Roche and Shire. B Reigner is an employee at Roche.

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