Over 45 Percent of Surveyed Nephrologists Are Highly Interested in Late-Stage Chronic Kidney Disease Products from OPKO Health, Fibrogen/Astellas, Keryx and Akebia, After Reviewing Brief Product Profiles

EXTON, Pa., July 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTrends Research Group, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for specialized biopharmaceutical issues, finds that, among surveyed nephrologists, familiarity with the late-stage nephrology pipeline is low but interest is high for agents that treat chronic kidney disease. The TreatmentTrends: Nephrology (U.S.) Q2 2013 report finds that more than 45 percent of surveyed nephrologists are highly interested in OPKO Health's CTAP101, Fibrogen/Astellas Pharmaceuticals' FG-4592/ASP1517, Keryx Pharmaceuticals' Zerenex (in hemodialysis only) and Akebia's AKB-6548, after reviewing brief product profiles for each of these agents.

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Among six agents in clinical development presented to surveyed nephrologists, Zerenex, an iron-based phosphate binder, was rated highest in terms of familiarity, however, 13 percent of nephrologists consider themselves highly familiar with it.

"The pipeline is filled with agents that, unfortunately, rate low in terms of surveyed nephrologists' needs for new therapy options," said BioTrends Research Group Director Rob Dubman. "However, patient lives can be improved through new treatments that can, for example, lower pills per day or improve efficacy for phosphate binder treatment, or provide an oral formulation for a renal anemia treatment."

Over 80 percent of surveyed nephrologists were aware that Affymax/Takeda Pharmaceuticals' Omontys - an erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) - was voluntarily recalled in February 2013 due to new postmarketing reports regarding serious hypersensitivity reactions. More importantly, following this voluntary recall, surveyed nephrologists indicated that they are significantly less likely to prescribe a new ESA compared with their likelihood of prescribing other future renal anemia products based on provided descriptions, including a new iron product, a new non-ESA product (hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitors), a new ESA with European market experience and a biosimilar ESA.

TreatmentTrends^®: Nephrology (U.S.) is a syndicated quarterly report series, based on primary market research that provides a comprehensive view of the current and expected future management of renal anemia and bone and mineral metabolism in patients with chronic kidney disease. Topics include the percent of patients on each therapy, patient share, therapy initiation levels, perception of current laboratory values, attribute importance and performance ratings, bundling, compliance, statement agreements and reaction (familiarity, interest and percentage of patients likely to be candidates) to new products in development. The Q2 2013 wave published in June 2013 and the Q3 2013 wave will publish in September 2013.

About BioTrends Research Group
BioTrends Research Group provides syndicated and custom primary market research to pharmaceutical manufacturers competing in clinically evolving, specialty pharmaceutical markets. For information on BioTrends publications and research capabilities, please visit www.bio-trends.com. BioTrends is a Decision Resources Group company.

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SOURCE BioTrends Research Group