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ABSTRACT: Introduction
This double-blind, randomized controlled trial compared the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous epoetin alfa-epbx, an epoetin alfa biosimilar, with the reference product, epoetin alfa, in hemodialysis patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and anemia who were receiving epoetin alfa maintenance treatment.Methods
Eligible patients (n = 320) were randomized (1:1) to subcutaneous epoetin alfa-epbx or epoetin alfa in a titration phase; patients who demonstrated stable subcutaneous dosing (n = 246) were re-randomized to receive subcutaneous epoetin alfa-epbx or epoetin alfa 1 to 3 times per week in a 16-week maintenance phase. Co-primary endpoints were least-squares mean difference between treatments in mean weekly hemoglobin concentration and mean weekly epoetin dose per kilogram body weight (BW) during the last 4 weeks of treatment in the maintenance phase.Results
The least-squares mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) between treatments in weekly hemoglobin was 0.04 g/dl (-0.17 to 0.24 g/dl) and weekly epoetin dose/kg BW was -2.34 U/kg per week (-14.51 to 9.82 U/kg per week). The 95% CIs were contained within the prespecified equivalence margins of ±0.5 g/dl (weekly hemoglobin) and ±45 U/kg per week (weekly epoetin dose/kg BW). In the epoetin alfa-epbx and epoetin alfa groups, respectively, 4.0% and 4.1% of patients required blood transfusions, 69.7% and 70.5% reported adverse events, 18.9% and 27.0% reported serious adverse events, and 3 and 2 deaths were reported. Five patients were confirmed positive for anti-recombinant human erythropoietin antibody, 2 of whom tested positive at baseline. All patients tested negative for neutralizing antibodies.Conclusions
This comparative clinical trial demonstrated equivalence in efficacy and similar safety of subcutaneously administered epoetin alfa-epbx to epoetin alfa.
SUBMITTER: Fishbane S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6734106 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Fishbane Steven S Spinowitz Bruce S BS Wisemandle Wayne A WA Martin Nancy E NE
Kidney international reports 20190522 9
<h4>Introduction</h4>This double-blind, randomized controlled trial compared the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous epoetin alfa-epbx, an epoetin alfa biosimilar, with the reference product, epoetin alfa, in hemodialysis patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and anemia who were receiving epoetin alfa maintenance treatment.<h4>Methods</h4>Eligible patients (<i>n</i> = 320) were randomized (1:1) to subcutaneous epoetin alfa-epbx or epoetin alfa in a titration phase; patients who demonstra ...[more]