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news.Research has shown that treatment with the phosphate binder Fosrenol was associated with slight improvements in bone formation in kidney disease patients, according to its developer, Shire Pharmaceuticals.
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Most chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 patients will develop high phosphorus levels in the blood known as hyperphosphatemia. Without effective treatment, hyperphosphatemia may lead to renal osteodystrophy, a collection of bone diseases characterized by bone pain, brittle bones, skeletal deformities and fractures.
This phase III trial evaluated potential differences between standard therapy and lanthanum carbonate on the evolution of abnormalities of bone turnover, bone balance and mineralization in patients with CKD stage 5.
“Renal osteodystrophy develops early during chronic kidney disease, so by the time many patients reach dialysis they may have painful and debilitating bone conditions. Treating hyperphosphatemia through diet and an effective phosphate binder can help patients maintain bone health while on dialysis,” explained Hartmut Malluche, chief of nephrology, bone and mineral metabolism at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
“Our study showed that Fosrenol treatment was associated with increased bone formation in participants and that there were no signs of bone abnormalities, such as progressive evolution of mineralization defects or decreases in bone turnover.”
Separate phase IIIb studies evaluated Fosrenol as a single therapy. The studies showed that the majority of patients achieve phosphorus control with reformulated Fosrenol as a monotherapy.