Mircera maintains Hb levels in high-risk patients

Swiss drug major Roche says that an analysis of two large-scale Phase III maintenance studies of once-monthly Micera, its continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, show that two high-risk patient populations - dialysis subjects with diabetes and/or coronary artery disease - consistently and safely maintained their hemoglobin at target levels after direct conversion from more frequently-administered epoetin.

According to Roche, this is a significant outcome as erratic Hb levels have a serious negative impact in these high-risk patients. In addition, being able to effectively control Hb with a convenient once-monthly treatment will help boost compliance.

In the trial, data from which were presented at the 44th congress of the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association, in Barcelona, Spain, mean baseline Hb levels in the Mircera group with and without diabetes were 11.8g/dL and 11.7g/dL and with and without coronary artery disease were 11.7g/dL and 11.8g/dL, respectively. During the evaluation period, stable Hb levels were maintained irrespective of the presence or absence of CAD or diabetes, Roche noted.