Interim results for Genzyme's Renagel

GENZ said that one-year results from a three-year study showed a significant difference in favor of its Renagel sevelamer in the progression of cardiac calcification compared to calcium-based phosphate binders. In 202 patients with end stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis, patients given Renagel had non-significant increases in median coronary artery calcification of 6% from baseline, compared to significant 25% increases in patients taking calcium-based products.

In addition, GENZ said that patients in the open-label post-marketing U.S. and European study taking calcium-based binders showed a significant median increase in aortic calcification scores from baseline of 28% compared to a non-significant increase of 5% for Renagel patients as measured by electron beam tomography scanning. GENZ reported that patients in both groups showed decreases of serum phosphorus and calcium-phosphorus product levels to the target range, but that patients given Renagel had fewer incidences of hypercalcemia and showed better control of parathyroid hormone levels. Data were presented at the European Dialysis and Transplantation Association meeting in Vienna. ...