Tenapanor as Therapy for Hyperphosphatemia in Maintenance Dialysis Patients: Results from the OPTIMIZE Study

What is it about?

Patients with chronic kidney disease receiving maintenance dialysis often have hyperphosphatemia (high serum phosphate). Hyperphosphatemia is linked to an increased risk over time of brittle bones, cardiovascular disease, hospitalization, and death. Current strategies for managing hyperphosphatemia include limiting dietary phosphate intake, removing phosphate with dialysis, and treatment with pills called phosphate binders. Despite these options, managing hyperphosphatemia can be challenging, and over two-thirds of patients are unable to consistently achieve normal serum phosphate concentrations. Tenapanor is an oral drug that blocks phosphate absorption in the intestines and is being evaluated as a treatment for adults with chronic kidney disease receiving maintenance dialysis who have hyperphosphatemia._x000D_ _x000D_ The OPTIMIZE study looked at different ways of starting tenapanor in patients receiving dialysis with the goal of decreasing serum phosphate levels to the target range. OPTIMIZE showed that tenapanor alone or in combination with phosphate binders led to lower serum phosphate levels with the use of fewer phosphate-lowering pills. Tenapanor alone or with phosphate binders can help patients with kidney disease receiving dialysis better manage hyperphosphatemia.

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