A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Converting From Intravenous or Subcutaneous rHuEPO to Intravenous Darbepoetin Alfa (Aranesp®) in Subjects With Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving Haemodialysis
A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Converting From Intravenous or Subcutaneous rHuEPO to Intravenous Darbepoetin Alfa (Aranesp®) in Subjects With Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving Haemodialysis
Treatment period 1:To demonstrate that switching HD subjects with a baseline haemoglobin (Hb) ≥ 10 g/dL and ≤ 13 g/dL from either subcutaneous (SC) or intravenous (IV) rHuEPO to IV darbepoetin alfa results in a mean Hb > 11 g/dL.
Treatment Period 2:To demonstrate that switching subjects with a Hb > 11 g/dL and ≤ 13 g/dL from once weekly IV darbepoetin alfa to once every 2 weeks (Q2W) maintains the mean Hb at > 11 g/dL.
Inclusion Criteria: -at least 18 years old - Diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and receiving dialysis for at least 3 months prior to screening - Baseline Hb level greater than or equal to 10.0 g/dL and less than or equal to 13.0 g/dL - Adequate iron stores (defined as serum ferritin greater than or equal to 100 µg/L or transferrin saturation [TSAT] greater than or equal to 20%) - Stable IV (epoetin alfa or beta) or SC rHuEPO (epoetin beta) therapy 2 or 3 times per week for at least 8 weeks before screening (stable is defined as less than 25% change in weekly dose and no change in frequency or route) - All subjects must practice adequate contraception (in the judgment of the investigator) throughout this trial. Exclusion Criteria: - Received SC epoetin alfa in the 12 months before screening - Uncontrolled hypertension (diastolic blood pressure greater than 100 mmHg or systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mmHg on 2 separate occasions during screening) - Prior history (within 12 weeks before enrolment) of cardiovascular events including: