Vadadustat Three Times Weekly in Patients With Anemia Due to Dialysis-Dependent CKD

Vadadustat, taken 3 times a week, was noninferior to methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin-ß (MPG-EPO) in treating anemia. Vadadustat is an oral drug used to treat anemia in people with chronic kidney disease. This study enrolled participants undergoing dialysis for kidney failure and compared the efficacy and safety of continuing to receive MPG-EPO, a long-acting injectable anemia treatment, or switching to vadadustat, taken by mouth 3 times per week for 1 year. Vadadustat was noninferior to MPG-EPO in maintaining hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin levels remained stable across all groups, except for a slight decrease in the lower-dose vadadustat group, which stabilized with dose titration by week 12. The occurrence of new or serious side effects was similar across treatment groups.