US FDA approves New Drug for Anemia due to chronic kidney disease

US FDA approves new drug Jesduvroq tablets which contain daprodustat for treatment of Anemia in Kidney disease patients on dialysis.

First Orally taken drug approved for treatment of Anemia due to chronic kidney disease who is on dialysis for the past 4 months.
There are medicines available for treatment of anemia caused by kidney disease but all of these are given through injection, the injectable dosage form. US FDA on 1 Feb 2023 have approved a new drug for anemia associated with kidney disease and for those who are on dialysis for the last 4 months.

The US FDA has approved the drug Jesduvroq tablets which contain daprodustat. It increases the level of erythropoietin by inhibition of enzyme hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase. Hypoxia-inducible factor binds with HIF-1 Beta and triggers transcription of genes which are responsible for erythropoiesis, glycolysis, and angiogenesis.

This drug is not approved for patients which are not undergoing dialysis, since the further clinical trials are to be conducted on the population which are not undergoing dialysis.

Because it is likely that the drug may affect renin angiotensin aldosterone system as well and increase blood pressure due to increased sodium and chloride reabsorption, and vasoconstriction, the effect of increased renin angiotensin hormone which are secreted from kidney.
Side effects of daprodustat are increased blood pressure, allergic reactions, pain in abdomen, thrombotic vascular events, giddiness.

Drug has boxed warnings about thrombotic vascular events, heart failure formation of blood clots in lungs and legs, hospitalization for heart failure. Also see: Erythropoesis Stimulating drugs and risk of cardiovascular disease

Relation between kidney and anemia:
Anemia is caused by deficiency of red blood cells, when red blood cell count drops down, it causes dropping of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying out transportation of oxygen from lungs to all parts of our body.

Patients suffering with anemia suffer from lack of oxygen level in their body and weakness of muscle and body. Kidney plays an important role in production of red blood cells, kidney secretes a hormone called erythropoietin, erythropoietin signals generation of red blood cells.

In case of kidney disease erythropoietin secretion is deficient which leads to reduction in red blood cells. Kidney also secrete renin and angiotensin hormones which regulate reabsorption of sodium and chloride and potassium, it increases reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions and decreases potassium reabsorption from glomerular tubules sites.