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Pharmaceutical giant Shire has announced that Fosrenol (lanthanum carbonate) has been launched in Spain for patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
The non-calcium phosphate binder is the first of the company’s medicines developed in-house from research molecule to market.
CKD is a progressive condition classified in five stages culminating in stage five (or ESRD), which often results in the complete loss of kidney function, usually requiring the patient to undergo dialysis or transplantation.
David Milton, the senior vice-president of Shire Renal Business Unit, said: “As CKD progresses, its management becomes increasingly challenging for patients as dietary restrictions and fluid limitations become paramount.
“By the time they reach CKD stage five, patients are not only likely to be on dialysis, but are often taking as many as 10 to 12 different medications, which can amount to 25 tablets a day or more, for the different complications of CKD including hyperphosphataemia.”
He added: “Shire participated with the other phosphate binder manufacturers at a recent Shire requested US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Division Advisory Committee.
“The majority of the members on the advisory committee voted to recommend the use of phosphate binders to treat hyperphosphataemia in CKD Stage 4 patients.
“As a result, Shire is working to identify the regulatory pathway forward for the use of Fosrenol in this group of patients.”
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