Business Wire

VIFOR-PHARMA

5.5.2020 13:03:14 CEST | Business Wire | Press release

Share
Vifor Pharma Announces Akebia’s Positive Top-Line Results From Global Phase-III Program of vadadustat for Treatment of Anaemia Due to Chronic Kidney Disease in Adult Dialysis-Dependent Patients

Regulatory News:

Vifor Pharma announced that its partner, Akebia Therapeutics, Inc ., today reported positive top-line results from INNO2 VATE, Akebia’s global phase-III cardiovascular outcomes program evaluating the efficacy and safety of vadadustat, an investigational oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), versus darbepoetin alfa for the treatment of anaemia due to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in adult dialysis-dependent patients (DD-CKD). Upon successful completion of its phase-III program, which includes Akebia’s studies of vadadustat for the treatment of anemia due to CKD in non-dialysis patients, Akebia plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) for vadadustat for the treatment of anemia due to CKD in dialysis dependent and non-dialysis dependent patients, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We are delighted with the positive top-line data from Akebia’s INNO2 VATE global phase-III global study of vadadustat for the treatment of anemia due to CKD in dialysis patients,” comments Stefan Schulze, Vifor Pharma President of the Executive Committee and Chief Operating Officer, “By successfully meeting its primary efficacy and cardiovascular endpoints, we believe the INNO2 VATE data positions vadadustat as a potential new oral standard of care for treating all populations of dialysis patients, including both incident and prevalent dialysis patients with anemia due to CKD, subject to its approval. We look forward to working with Akebia to bring vadadustat, upon approval, to our dialysis patients.”

Vifor Pharma was granted an exclusive license to sell vadadustat to Fresenius Kidney Care dialysis centers and to specific third party dialysis organisations that together account for approximately 60% of the dialysis patients in the US, subject to approval of vadadustat by the FDA and its inclusion in Medicare’s bundled reimbursement model for dialysis, or reimbursement using the Transitional Drug Add-On Payment Adjustment (TDAPA), and a milestone payment by Vifor Pharma.

About Akebia’s Global phase-III INNO2 VATE Program

Akebia’s public announcement highlighted that its global INNO2 VATE program is a cardiovascular outcomes program which includes two separate phase-III studies (Correction/Conversion and Conversion ) and which collectively enrolled 3,923 dialysis-dependent patients with anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Both INNO2 VATE studies are global, multicenter, open label (sponsor blinded), active-control (darbepoetin alfa- an injectable erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA)), non-inferiority studies. According to Akebia’s announcement: “Vadadustat achieved the primary and key secondary efficacy endpoint in each of the two INNO2 VATE studies, demonstrating non-inferiority to darbepoetin alfa as measured by a mean change in hemoglobin (Hb) between baseline and the primary evaluation period (weeks 24 to 36) and secondary evaluation period (weeks 40 to 52). Vadadustat also achieved the primary safety endpoint of the INNO2 VATE program, defined as non-inferiority of vadadustat versus darbepoetin alfa in time to first occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which is a composite of all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke across both INNO2 VATE studies. Each analysis was measured against non-inferiority (NI) margins agreed upon with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).”

About Vadadustat
Vadadustat is Akebia’s oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PH) inhibitor currently in global Phase 3 development for the treatment of anemia due to CKD. Vadadustat is designed to mimic the physiologic effect of altitude on oxygen availability. At higher altitudes, the body responds to lower oxygen availability with stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor, which can lead to increased red blood cell production and improved oxygen delivery to tissues. Vadadustat is an investigational therapy and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any regulatory authority.

Please visit https://akebia.com/pr-552020/ to access the complete public announcement from Akebia Therapeutics, which does not form a part of this release.

Vifor Pharma Group is a global specialty pharmaceuticals company. It aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies. The company is the partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative patient-focused solutions. Vifor Pharma Group strives to help patients around the world with severe and chronic diseases lead better, healthier lives. The company develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for precision patient care. Vifor Pharma Group holds a leading position in all its core business activities and consists of the following companies: Vifor Pharma; Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (a joint company with Fresenius Medical Care); and OM Pharma. Vifor Pharma Group is headquartered in Switzerland, and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange, VIFN, ISIN: CH0364749348). For more information, please visit www.viforpharma.com

Link:

ClickThru

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

STL Expands Its Optical Connectivity Portfolio in the US with the CONCAT Solution17.7.2026 14:24:00 CEST | Press release

STL Optical Connectivity NA, LLC, (STLOC), a U.S. subsidiary of STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd.) [NSE: STLTECH], a leading connectivity solutions provider for AI-ready digital infrastructure, today announced that it launched its new advanced FTTH solution, CONCAT, after successfully completing field trials on the networks of one of the largest telecom service providers in the United States. Following successful field validation, CONCAT is now available to digital infrastructure providers seeking faster fiber rollouts with reduced deployment complexity and labor. It enables up to 71% in labor cost savings by eliminating most field splicing through factory-assembled, pre-connectorized fiber segments that deliver plug-and-play installation. CONCAT simplifies fiber deployment by shifting critical fiber preparation and termination into a controlled manufacturing environment ensuring consistent quality, faster installation, and lower operational risk in the field. CONCAT solution is ideal fo

Aqemia and Sanofi Expand Their Research Collaboration17.7.2026 12:30:00 CEST | Press release

A new target nomination and a milestone payment mark the next step of the multi-year partnership first announced in December 2023 Aqemia, the drug invention company combining generative AI and quantum-inspired physics to invent small molecule drugs, today announced the expansion of its multi-year research collaboration with the global pharmaceutical company, Sanofi. The expansion is marked by the nomination of a new therapeutic target and an additional payment. The collaboration, first announced in December 2023, makes Aqemia eligible to receive up to a total of $140 million in upfront and milestone payments across programs. It spans the drug discovery journey from the identification of the very first hits to the selection of a development candidate. Aqemia leverages Qemi, its proprietary physics-based generative AI platform, to design novel molecules addressing Sanofi’s targets of choice, working in close collaboration with Sanofi scientific teams. Sanofi leads wet lab research, devel

China's ~$900B Live-Commerce Market Now Approaches US E-Commerce Scale17.7.2026 12:30:00 CEST | Press release

The consumer habits reshaping global retail were built in the East — and most Western shoppers haven't yet adopted them. NIQ report shows that brands still treating live, social, and quick commerce as "emerging" risk being left behind. The center of gravity in global retail has shifted East. The formats now driving the fastest growth in global retail (live shopping, social commerce, and delivery in minutes) were pioneered and scaled in Asia, and most Western consumers have yet to adopt them. According to NIQ (NYSE: NIQ), a leading consumer intelligence company, in its global report The Commerce Revolution: Where East Meets West, the gap between East and West is still vast. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260717253489/en/ China´s USD 900bn live shopping boom now approaches the scale of the US E-commerce The scale is already substantial. China's live-commerce market alone was worth roughly $900 billion in 2025,

Ant International’s Alipay+ Connects Argentina's National QR Payment Scheme via PVS,Enabling for Cross-Border Digital Payment Nationwide at Millions of Merchants17.7.2026 12:17:00 CEST | Press release

Alipay+, a global digital payment gateway under Ant International, today announced that it will enable global travellers to make QR code payments at millions of merchants across Argentina through integration with the country's national QR payment scheme Transferencias 3.0, in partnership with PVS, a fintech company specialized in developing customized payment solutions in Latin America. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260717276406/en/ By connecting to Argentina's national QR payment scheme, Alipay+ now enables global travellers in the country to make convenient QR code payments at merchants nationwide. This service helps to enhance global travellers' travel experiences in Argentina, allowing them to pay seamlessly at restaurants, malls and tourist attractions. Using an Alipay+ partner payment app, they can now scan the national QR code displayed at all merchants to make cross-border payments across Argentina,

KATE Launches "KABUKE: Break Convention" Kabuki-Inspired International Campaign17.7.2026 09:00:00 CEST | Press release

Where “NO MORE RULES.” intersects with the Kabuku spirit. Inspired by Japanese aesthetics, KATE shares the value of shadow enhancing makeup and self‑expression with the world. Global cosmetics brand KATE launched “KABUKE: Break Convention,” a new international campaign drawing on elements of Kabuki, the traditional Japanese performing art. The campaign debuted on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. In this campaign, KATE’s shadow enhancing makeup—rooted in Japanese aesthetics—was paired with the Kabuki spirit inherited from traditional Kabuki theater to communicate the value of individuality and self‑expression through makeup on a global scale. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260708829427/en/ KATE international campaign “KABUKE: Break Convention” key visual. Dedicated website: https://www.kate-global.net/my/special/kate_kabuki/ Since its founding, KATE has championed the slogan “NO MORE RULES.,” offering makeup that defi

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye