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New data showing Retacrit corrects low haemoglobin (Hb) levels as effectively and rapidly as epoetin alfa in patients with chronic kidney disease, has been highlighted at a recent conference.
Hospira, the world leader in generic injectable pharmaceuticals presented the data at the joint European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association conference. Other data presented included information showing Retacrit having the equivalent efficacy to epoetin alfa in reducing the need for blood transfusions and being effective in maintaining target Hb levels in adult patients.
Two randomised, double-blind Phase III trials were carried out to produce the findings with the involvement of 609 patients – 305 receiving Retacrit in the correction phase study and 313 (300 receiving Retacrit) in the crossover maintenance phase study.
Professor Paul Scigalla, the principal investigator of all three analyses, of International Clinical Research Consulting (ICRC), commented, “These new data give further evidence that Retacrit provides a viable alternative to epoetin alfa in the treatment of anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease, offering equivalent clinical benefits and greater cost-effectiveness.”
The study found that treatment efficacy was similar in Retacrit and epoetin alfa treatment arms, when analysing the time of Hb response in the correction phase study. The average time to Hb response was also equivalent in both study arms with 12.5 weeks for patients on Retacrit, and 12.1 weeks for those on epoetin alfa.
Islah Ahmed, Medical Director, Global Medical Affairs, Hospira spoke positively of the new study: “Hospira is pleased to present these new Retacrit data, which confirm a commitment to develop, manufacture and market biosimilars in order to meet future demand for cost-effective alternatives to proprietary biopharmaceuticals.”
