Hematide™ for the treatment of chronic kidney disease-related anemia

Hematide™ is an investigational erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) being evaluated for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease patients. It is a dimeric peptide conjugated to a polymeric polyethylene glycol moiety with a sequence completely unrelated to erythropoietin (EPO). Despite this, it is capable of binding to the EPO receptor and promote erythropoiesis through the pathway common to EPO and other ESAs. The drug is partially cleared by the kidney; consequently, its half-life is much longer in the presence of renal insufficiency. Phase III clinical development is ongoing. Preliminary data indicate efficacy of the drug administered once a month either subcutaneously or intravenously. To date, the safety profile appears consistent with that of other ESAs. Even if antibodies against Hematide develop during treatment in some patients, they do not cross-react with EPO. No cases of pure red cell aplasia have been described to date.