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Daniel W. Coyne, MD: The Need for New CKD Treatments
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With the population aging, there is a need for new treatments in nephrology.
In data presented during the 2022 American College of Nephrology, investigators found daprodustat resulted in changes in endogenous erythropoietin in patients with hemodialysis.
A team, led by Daniel W. Coyne, MD, professor of medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, identified changes in erythropoietin and vascular endothelial grown factor (VEGF) in patients treated with either daprodustat or epoetin alfa.
The results show the maximal mean erythropoietin increased across all doses but was lower in patients treated with daprodustat compared to epoetin alfa. However, the max post-baseline and change from baseline erythropoietin among 20-48 mg daprodustat was similar or lower than for the lowest epoetin dose.
VEGF levels also declined from baseline in both groups, although it was unrelated to dose.
For safety, daprodustat was not related to the first major adverse cardiovascular events.
In an interview with HCPLive®, Coyne explained how the results and how comfortable he would be prescribing daprodustat to patients.
If approved, daprodustat would move into a growing list of treatments for kidney disease.
Coyne said 1 of the main challenges in developing nephrology drugs is the many comorbidities patients with diseases like chronic kidney disease face.
“The cardiovascular risk factors make studying any drug in this area difficult,” Coyne said.
