[COLOR="#000000"]The US Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma’s hyperphosphatemia drug Velphoro.
The approval for Velphoro (sucroferric oxyhydroxide), formerly known as PA21, is based on Phase III data demonstrated that the drug successfully controls the accumulation of phosphorus in the blood with the advantage of a much lower pill burden than the current standard of care in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis, namely Sanofi’s Renvela (sevelamer carbonate).
On average, dialysis patients take 19 pills per day with phosphate binders making up about 50% of that. The recommended starting dose of Velphoro is three tablets per day (i.e. one per meal) so compliance should improve considerably.[/color]