Treatment Satisfaction with Tenapanor: Real-World Survey of Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease and...

Tenapanor (XPHOZAH), approved by the US FDA in October 2023, is indicated to reduce serum phosphorus in adults with chronic kidney disease on dialysis as add-on therapy in patients who have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of any dose of phosphate binders. Unlike phosphate binders, tenapanor inhibits phosphate absorption by reducing permeability through the paracellular pathway. We report results of a real-world survey on patient perspectives of serum phosphate management while receiving tenapanor for hyperphosphatemia.

Survey invites were distributed via the ArdelyxAssist patient assistance program and survey responses were coupled to pharmacy dispensing data. Eligible participants were patients with hyperphosphatemia on maintenance dialysis receiving tenapanor for at least 7 weeks, last dispensed no more than 12 weeks before the survey.

Among 163 respondents (60% male, median age 60), the median duration of tenapanor use was 133 days. Many patients were unaware of their current serum phosphate levels (39%) or changes since starting tenapanor (57%). Excluding these patients, 74% reported good/very good serum phosphate control and 63% noted improved control. Longer duration of tenapanor use correlated with increased awareness of (P under 0.001) and perceived improvement in phosphate control (P under 0.05). Most patients (71%) reported tenapanor was easy to take. Median prescription fill adherence was 94% and stable over time. Fifty-seven percent of patients reported improved outlook on serum phosphate management, citing better bowel movements (49%), improved serum phosphate control (33%), and reduced pill burden (14%). Patient education questions revealed that 58% of patients received information from non-clinical sources and 20% from nephrologists.

The survey results suggest that patients experience positive outcomes with real-world use of tenapanor, including improved bowel movements, serum phosphate control, and reduced pill burden. These findings highlight the ability of tenapanor to address unmet needs in hyperphosphatemia management.