Japan OKs cinacalcet for CKD patients

New Jersey, USA-based biopharmaceutical firm NPS Pharmaceuticals says that Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency has approved its drug, cinacalcet HCl, for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism. The Agency has specifically cleared the agent as a therapy for the condition when associated with chronic kidney disease, which is estimated to affect between 30% and 40% of patients currently receiving dialysis in Japan.

The drug is designed to regulate secretion of the parathyroid hormone through interaction with calcium-sensing receptors with which the hormone would otherwise bind. NPS explained that an elevated PTH level, which is characteristic of secondary hyperparathyroidism, can lead to alterations in an individuals calcium and phosphorus metabolism, bone pain, fractures and an increased risk of cardiovascular death.