New drug fights anemia in dialysis patients

[RightSide]

Tuesday, December 09, 2008 | 7:17 PM
 
PALO ALTO, CA (KGO) -- A new drug undergoing clinical trial is providing an energy boost for thousands of dialysis patients around the Bay Area. But at the same time, the company that makes it is taking steps to make sure it doesn't provide a similar boost to some professional athletes.

There would seem to be little to link riders in the Tour de France to kidney patients undergoing dialysis in the Bay Area -- except maybe the amount of oxygen in their blood.

"The issue is the same we want to increase capacity to function and to do that we need oxygen. Oxygen molecules are carried in blood stream and are built in the bone marrow, and the more you have, the better you seem to function," said Dr. Brigitte Schiller.
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In the case of these kidney patients, the problem is not enough oxygen, or anemia.

Dr. Schiller is leading a phase-three clinical trial of a new drug called Hematide. It's a synthetic compound that promises to combat anemia with a single dose administered just once a month.

"If you don't get drug that corrects your anemia, you feel lousy, extremely tired. It gives you a boost, makes you feel really good," said

Ironically, it was a drug designed for the same purpose, made overseas, that was at the center of a recent scandal at the Tour de France when a number of riders were accused of taking it to boost their endurance.

The concerns were serious enough that the European manufacture helped race officials develop a test to detect the drug.

http://tinyurl.com/6h65zr

[
A major advantage of Hematide is that chemically, it's nothing like the synthetic erythropoetin drugs (Epogen, Procrit, etc.).  Hence it can be given to patients who cannot tolerate, or are allergic to, the synthetic erythropoetin drugs.
]

[nursewratchet]

Cool.  Maybe some competition will lower the price of EPO.  Epo is about 900./vial of 10,000 units.  Expensive!!!!

[okarol]

  I am really beginning to think no one reads the news I post. http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=11468.0

[qwerty]

  I am really beginning to think no one reads the news I post. http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=11468.0

I do almost daily!!! I cant tell you how many of yours I print out and take to my patients. (I'm an Director of Nursing) and many of my patients read what I bring to them. Many are elderly with no access to a computer nor do they want one so they do look forward to the articles I bring and most are what I find from your post. Thank you!!!! 

[Razman]

I read the new ones every time I log on.  Great information but then I have to go and deal with the "dialysis system".  Full of workers that think they know everything and as a patient you know nothing.

[jessup]

  I am really beginning to think no one reads the news I post. http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=11468.0

I read your posted articles as well as other posted news everyday mate
 
Sometimes I do not post a reply but will endeavour to in the future.
Keep up your efforts as I and many other IHD members really do appreciate your efforts to share knowledge and news.
 

[kitkatz]

Even I read them sometimes. I look for interesting titles and go read those.

[Zach]

Cool.  Maybe some competition will lower the price of EPO.  Epo is about 900./vial of 10,000 units.  Expensive!!!!

Actually, I believe Medicare approves about $10.00 per 1,000 units of EPO, and then pays it's 80% portion (when Medicare is the primary payor).

Private insurers who are primary payors (80%) do in fact pay a much higher reimbursement.  But the difference between what is "charged" and what is actually "paid" by private insurers is kept between the insurer and the makers of EPO.

[nursewratchet]

Right, Zach.   That's why all the clinics covet the private pay insurances.  They can't recover enogh from Medicare only patients to cover cost of treatment and meds.  The private insurances make up the difference.

[Zach]

Right, Zach.   That's why all the clinics covet the private pay insurances.  They can't recover enogh from Medicare only patients to cover cost of treatment and meds.  The private insurances make up the difference.

I'll agree on the treatment costs.  But the drug costs are the same, whether reimbursed by Medicare or Private.  That's where the profit motive comes into play.  The more you dose, the more profit from the meds.

And, if you leave the med out of the refrigerator for some time, it's potency may be reduced, then a higher dose becomes even more necessary.

[nursewratchet]

Medicare is finally putting a stop to the increase dosing for profit scenarios.  Now, Medicare will not pay anything for the entire month for that patient, no treatemnt cost, no EPO cost, nothing will be reimbursed if a patient exceeds a certain total dose of EPO. (400,000 units a month).   Will  be interesting to see clinics will be dosing patients who need large doses of EPO , knowing they will lose any reimburement for an entire month.