Title

Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of HX575 Hexal AG vs ERYPO® for the Treatment of Anemia in Hemodialysis Patients
Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter, Parallel-group, Equivalence Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of HX575 Hexal AG vs ERYPO® for the Treatment of Anemia in Hemodialysis Patients
  • Phase

    Phase 3
  • Study Type

    Interventional
  • Intervention/Treatment

    epoetin ...
  • Study Participants

    478
This is a double-blind, randomized, multicenter, parallel-group, equivalence study involving about 462 clinically stable hemodialysis patients aged 18 years or above suffering from anemia and treated previously with a stable dose of ERYPO® intravenously.
The primary objective of this Phase III study is the evaluation of therapeutic equivalence of HX575 Hexal AG and a comparator of epoetin alfa, ERYPO® in the maintenance intravenous treatment of renal anemia. Efficacy, dosage and safety of HX575 Hexal AG in the long-term treatment were assessed.
Study Started
Apr 30
2004
Primary Completion
Jan 31
2006
Study Completion
Jan 31
2006
Results Posted
Aug 02
2017
Last Update
Jul 03
2023

Drug HX575 epoetin alfa Hexal AG

HX575 Solution for i.v. injection Containing 1000, 2000 and 4000 IU of rh erythropoietin

  • Other names: Binocrit, Abseamed

Drug ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag

Solution for i.v. injection

  • Other names: EPREX®, Solution for i.v. injection

HX575 epoetin alfa Hexal AG Experimental

Eligible patients were switched from the comparator ERYPO®, to epoetin alfa HX575 Hexal AG in ratio 2:1 to be intravenously treated with HX575 in pre-filled syringes for 24 weeks (solution for injection i.v.). The maximum weekly dose was 300 UI/kg body weight (given 1 to 3 times) to maintain hemoglobin levels between 10-13 g/dL.

ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag Active Comparator

Eligible patients were randomized and continued to be treated with ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag in pre-filled syringes intravenously (solution for injection i.v.) for 24 weeks. The maximum weekly dose was 300 UI/kg body weight (given 1 to 3 times) to maintain hemoglobin levels between 10-13 g/dL.

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Receiving dialysis for at least 6 months (3 times weekly) before screening
Age: >=18
Clinically stable, i.e. hemoglobin within the established range (10.0 to 13.0 g/dl) for at least 12 weeks before screening
Stable intravenous dosage of ERYPO® three times weekly for at least 8 weeks before screening and during screening with a maximal weekly dosage of 300 IU/kg body weight (stable is defined as <25% change (up or down) in weekly dose and no change in frequency over 8 weeks prior screening and 10 weeks prior randomisation)
Baseline hemoglobin concentration of 10.0 to 13.0 g/dl (mean of two pre-randomization pre-dialysis samples of Hb at visit -2 and visit 1)
Serum ferritin >=100 µg/l and/or saturated transferrin levels >=20%
C-reactive protein <15 mg/l (< 5 mg/l: normal; >= 5 mg/l < 10 mg/l: +; >=10mg/l < 100 mg/l: ++; >=100 mg/l: +++)
Ability to follow study instructions and likely to complete all required visits
Written informed consent of the patient

Exclusion Criteria:

Anemia of non-renal causes
Primary hematologic disorder (e.g. myelodysplastic syndrome, sickle cell anemia, hematological malignancy, hemolytic anemia)
Evidence of severe hepatic dysfunction (ALT and/or AST above 2 x upper limit of normal range; or gamma-GT above 3 x upper limit of normal range)
Clinical evidence of current uncontrolled hyperparathyroidism (serum parathyroid hormone >1500 pg/mL).
Known history of bone marrow disease
Any red blood cell transfusion(s) during the last 12 weeks before screening or during the screening/baseline period
Insufficient concomitant iron treatment during the last 2 months before Visit -2
Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as a predialysis diastolic blood pressure measurement >=110 mmHg during the screening period
Congestive heart failure [New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III and IV]
Unstable angina pectoris, active cardiac disease, cardiac infarction during the last six months before screening
History of blood coagulation disease
Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100.000/µl)
Leukopenia (white blood cell count < 2.000/µl)
Overt bleeding (acute or chronic bleeding within 2 months of inclusion) or hemolysis
Evidence of acute infectious disease or serious active inflammatory states within one months before screening (Visit -2) or during the screening/baseline period
Suspicion or known PRCA (pure red cell aplasia)
Previously diagnosed HIV or acute hepatitis infection
Treatment for epilepsy within the past 6 months
Planned surgery during the next 7 months (except vascular access surgery)
Any androgen therapy within 2 months before visit -2 and during the study
Therapy with immunosuppressants or any drug known to affect the hematocrit within 1 month before Visit -2 and during the study
Clinical evidence of malignant diseases
Pregnancy, breastfeeding women or women not using adequate birth control measures
Known history of severe drug related allergies
Known allergy to one of the ingredients of the test or reference products or hypersensitivity to mammalian-derived products
Simultaneous participation in another clinical study or participation in a study in the month preceding the start of this study or previously randomized in this study
Participation in an erythropoietin study in the 3 months preceding screening (visit -2)
Any other condition which at the investigator´s discretion may put the patient at risk or which may confound the study results

Summary

HX575 Epoetin Alfa Hexal AG

ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag

All Events

Event Type Organ System Event Term HX575 Epoetin Alfa Hexal AG ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag

To Compare the Efficacy of HX575 Hexal AG and ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag.

Primary endpoint was the mean absolute change in Hb level between the screening/baseline and the evaluation period. A two-sided 95 % confidence interval for the difference in mean change (mean of evaluation period - mean of screening/baseline period) in Hb between epoetin alfa HX575 Hexal AG and ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag was computed. The difference was estimated from an analysis of a co-variance model including factors treatment, center, mean baseline Hb (<11.5 and ≥11.5 g/dL) as factors and change of the mean weekly dose from screening/baseline to the evaluation period (of HX575 epoetin alfa Hexal AG or ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag) as a covariate. HX575 Hexal AG was considered at least as good as ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag if the 95 % confidence interval of the difference in mean changes in Hb levels between HX575 Hexal AG and ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag lied entirely within the interval [-0.5 g/dL; 0.5 g/dL]. Primary Endpoint was analyzed based on intent-to-treat (ITT) population.

HX575 Epoetin Alfa Hexal AG

0.147
g/dL (Least Squares Mean)
Standard Error: 0.092

ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag

0.063
g/dL (Least Squares Mean)
Standard Error: 0.117

Mean Absolute Change in Hemoglobin Level From the Screening/Baseline Period to the Evaluation Period - ITT Population

The mean absolute change in Hb levels between the screening/baseline period and the evaluation period was analyzed for the intent-to-treat (ITT) population in the same way as the primary efficacy endpoint. A two-sided 95 % confidence interval for the difference in mean change (mean of evaluation period - mean of screening/baseline period) in Hb between HX575 epoetin alfa Hexal AG and ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag was computed. The difference was estimated from an analysis of a co-variance model including factors treatment, center, mean baseline Hb (<11.5 and ≥11.5 g/dL) as factors and change of the mean weekly dose from screening/baseline to the evaluation period (of HX575 epoetin alfa Hexal AG or ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag) as a covariate. HX575 Hexal AG was considered at least as good as ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag if the 95 % confidence interval of the difference in mean changes in Hb levels between HX575 Hexal AG and ERYPO® Janssen-Cilag lied entirely within the interval [-0.5 g/dL; 0.5 g/dL].

HX575 Epoetin Alfa Hexal AG

0.003
g/dL (Least Squares Mean)
Standard Error: 0.079

ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag

-0.187
g/dL (Least Squares Mean)
Standard Error: 0.105

Total

478
Participants

Age, Continuous

62.4
years (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 14.2

Body weight

76.2
kg (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 16.2

Age, Categorical

Region of Enrollment

Sex: Female, Male

Overall Study

HX575 Epoetin Alfa Hexal AG

ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag

Drop/Withdrawal Reasons

HX575 Epoetin Alfa Hexal AG

ERYPO®, Janssen-Cilag