A Study of Roxadustat to Treat Anemia in Children and Teenagers With Chronic Kidney Disease

Last updated: April 10, 2025
Sponsor: Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc.
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

3

Condition

Nephropathy

Renal Anemia

Kidney Disease

Treatment

Roxadustat

Clinical Study ID

NCT05970172
1517-CL-1003
  • Ages 2-17
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Roxadustat is a licensed medicine to treat anemia in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Anemia is a low level of red blood cells. Current treatment for anemia is to have injections of medicines called erythropoietin stimulating agents (also known as ESAs) to help the bone marrow make more red blood cells. These are often given together with iron. This treatment is also available to children and teenagers with CKD. However, there are some safety concerns with ESAs. Also, as roxadustat is taken orally, this may be another option for treating anemia in children and teenagers with CKD. In this study, children and teenagers with CKD and anemia will take roxadustat for up to 52 weeks to treat their anemia.

The main aim of the study is to learn how roxadustat affects anemia in children and teenagers with CKD.

This is an open-label study which means the children and teenagers in the study and the clinic staff know they will be taking roxadustat. In this study, the children and teenagers with CKD who need treatment for anemia can take part. Those currently being treated with an ESA will be switched to roxadustat. Those who have not been treated with an ESA can start on roxadustat straight away. All children and teenagers in the study will take roxadustat 3 times a week for up to 52 weeks (1 year). They will start on a fixed dose of roxadustat for 4 weeks. Blood samples will be taken regularly to check hemoglobin levels. The roxadustat dose may be changed if the blood levels of hemoglobin are too high, too low, or change too quickly. After 4 weeks the dose may be changed, if needed, to keep blood levels of hemoglobin in the blood to just below the normal range.

Firstly, teenagers will take roxadustat. 10 teenagers will take their fixed dose of roxadustat for 4 weeks. They will give blood samples to help the researchers work out the most suitable dose for the rest of the teenagers in the study. When the rest of the teenagers start taking roxadustat at the most suitable dose for teenagers, 10 children will take roxadustat for 4 weeks. These 10 children will give blood samples to help the researchers work out the most suitable dose for the rest of the children in the study. Then, the rest of the children will take roxadustat at the most suitable dose for children.

There will be many clinic visits during the study. Overnight hospital stays are not expected. There will be 1 visit every 2 weeks for the first 4 weeks of taking roxadustat, then every 4 weeks until the end of treatment. Finally there is 1 visit 4 weeks after treatment has finished.

During most visits, the children and teenagers will have their vital signs checked (blood pressure, body temperature and heart rate). Fluid status (how much water is in the body) will also be checked for those who need dialysis. The children and teenagers will also have blood tests and the study doctors will check for any medical problems. The children and teenagers will have a medical examination before their first dose of roxadustat and again at about 24-week (6-month) and 52-week (13-month) visits. They will have an electrocardiogram (ECG) before their first dose of roxadustat and again at the 12-week, 24-week, 36-week, and 52-week visit. They will also have urine tests at the 4-week, 24-week and 52-week visits. At the 52-week visit, the children and teenagers will also have blood tests for hemoglobin and iron levels. The study doctors will also check for any medical problems.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participant has a diagnosis of anemia in CKD Kidney Disease Outcomes QualityInitiative stages 3 or 4 or 5. This can include participants not on dialysis ordialysis dependent (DD) participants (including hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysisand hemodiafiltration participants).

  • Participants not on dialysis must have an estimated glomerular filtration rate (Schwartz formula) of < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m^2.

  • ESA-treated participants should have a screening Hb level, assessed via HemoCue,between 10.0 and 12.0 g/dL; ESA-naïve participants can have a Hb level ≤ 11 g/dL.

  • Participant has a ferritin level > 100 ng/mL or a transferrin saturation (TSAT)value > 20%.

  • Participant has an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN) and total bilirubin (TBL) ≤ 1.5 x ULN atenrollment visit.

  • Participant is treated with an ESA or is ESA-naïve, where ESA status is defined as:

  • ESA-treated: Participant is taking a stable dose of an ESA for at least 4 weeksprior to screening.

  • ESA-naïve: Participant has no prior ESA exposure OR participant's total priorESA exposure ≤ 3 weeks within the preceding 4 weeks from screening ORparticipant was previously treated with and discontinued an ESA ≥ 8 weeks priorto screening.

  • Female participant is not pregnant and at least 1 of the following conditions apply:

  • Not a woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP)

  • WOCBP who agrees to follow the contraceptive guidance from the time of informedconsent through at least 4 weeks after final study intervention administration.

  • Female participant must agree not to breastfeed starting at screening and throughoutthe study and for 4 weeks post-last roxadustat dose.

  • Female participant must not donate ova starting at first administration ofroxadustat and throughout the study period and for 4 weeks post-last roxadustatdose.

  • Male participants with female partner(s) of childbearing potential (includingbreastfeeding partner) must agree to use contraception throughout the treatmentperiod and for 4 weeks post-last roxadustat dose.

  • Male participants must not donate sperm during the treatment period and for 4 weekspost-last roxadustat dose.

  • Male participants with pregnant partner(s) must agree to remain abstinent or use acondom for the duration of the pregnancy throughout the study period and for 4 weekspost-last roxadustat dose.

  • Participant and/or participant's parent or legal guardian agrees for the participantnot to participate in another interventional study while participating in thepresent study.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participant has received any investigational therapy within 28 days or 5 half-lives,whichever is longer, prior to screening.

  • Participant has any medical condition, including active, systemic or clinicallysignificant infection which may pose a safety risk to a participant in this study,which may confound the safety or activity assessment or may interfere with studyparticipation making the participant unsuitable for study.

  • Participant has a known or suspected hypersensitivity to roxadustat, relatedhypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHI), or any componentsof the formulation used.

  • Participant has uncontrolled hypertension (defined as ≥ 95th percentile + 12 mm Hgor ≥ 140/90 mm Hg [whichever is lower] for participants < 13 years of age and ≥ 140/90 mm Hg for participants ≥ 13 years of age measured 3 times at the same visit)in the 2 weeks prior to screening.

  • Participant has a known hematologic disease other than anemia secondary to renaldisease,(e.g., history of sickle cell disease, sickle cell anemia, hemoglobin sicklecell disease, or hemoglobin sickle cell beta thalassemia).

  • Participant has untreated hypothyroidism.

  • Participant has severe hyperparathyroidism defined as serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels above 1000 pg/mL intact PTH within 4 weeks of screening.

  • Participant has a functioning kidney allograft.

  • Participant has a folate or B12 or carnitine deficiency. Acceptable if treated tonormal values within 4 weeks of screening.

  • Participant has a known active malignancy or malignancy within 18 months before thescreening visit. Radiation or chemotherapy must be completed at least 12 monthsbefore the screening visit.

  • Participant has a scheduled living donor organ transplantation date within 12 weeksof screening. If participant becomes eligible for a kidney transplant during studyconduct, the participant should be discontinued.

  • Participant has a whole blood or packed red blood cells (pRBC) transfusion duringthe 8 weeks prior to screening.

  • Participant has any current condition leading to active significant blood loss inthe past 4 weeks.

  • Participant has a diagnosis of hemolytic uremic syndrome within 12 weeks prior toscreening.

  • Participant who has a previous diagnosis of atypical hemolytic syndrome must berelapse-free (stable hemoglobin (Hb), normal platelet count, normal serumlactate dehydrogenase, and normal haptoglobin level) for more than 12 weeksprior to screening.

  • Participant has a history of chronic liver disease, including comorbidity withautosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, cystinosis, and primaryhyperoxaluria.

  • Participant had an episode of peritonitis within 30 days of screening.

  • Participant has active inflammation such as glomerulonephritis flare (i.e., lupusnephritis, immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephritis, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis,membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodiesvasculitis) requiring pulse corticosteroid treatment or induction treatment with animmunosuppressive agent (i.e., cyclophosphamide, rituximab, or another monoclonalantibody) within 6 weeks of screening visit. Receipt of monoclonal antibody orbiologic for maintenance treatment of underlying condition is acceptable.

  • Participant has a known history of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

  • Participant has rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactasedeficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption or is allergic to peanut or soya.

Study Design

Total Participants: 100
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Roxadustat
Phase: 3
Study Start date:
January 16, 2024
Estimated Completion Date:
September 30, 2026

Connect with a study center

  • Site BE32002

    Brussels,
    Belgium

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site BE32001

    Edegem,
    Belgium

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site BE32004

    Gent,
    Belgium

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site BE32003

    Leuven,
    Belgium

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site BG35901

    Sofia,
    Bulgaria

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site HR38501

    Zagreb,
    Croatia

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  • Site HR38503

    Zagreb,
    Croatia

    Active - Recruiting

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    Brno,
    Czechia

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    Prague,
    Czechia

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    Aarhus, 8200
    Denmark

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    Tubingen,
    Germany

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    Athens,
    Greece

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    Thessaloniki,
    Greece

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  • Site IE35301

    Dublin,
    Ireland

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    Milano,
    Italy

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  • Site LB96101

    Achrafieh,
    Lebanon

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  • Site LT37001

    Vilnius,
    Lithuania

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  • Site NL31002

    Rotterdam,
    Netherlands

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    Oslo,
    Norway

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    Clug Napoca, 400370
    Romania

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    Timisoara, 30011
    Romania

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  • Site SA96602

    Dammam,
    Saudi Arabia

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  • Site SA96601

    Riyadh,
    Saudi Arabia

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  • Site SK42101

    Bratislava,
    Slovakia

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  • Site SP34001

    Madrid, 28041
    Spain

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  • Site SE46002

    Molnlycke,
    Sweden

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  • Site SE46003

    Mölnlycke,
    Sweden

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  • Site TR90001

    Ankara,
    Turkey

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  • Site TR90010

    Ankara,
    Turkey

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  • Site TR90008

    Istanbul,
    Turkey

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  • TR90003

    Istanbul,
    Turkey

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  • Site TR90005

    Izmit,
    Turkey

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  • Site TR90006

    Kayseri,
    Turkey

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  • Site TR90002

    Manisa,
    Turkey

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  • Site GB44005

    Cardiff,
    United Kingdom

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  • Site GB44006

    Glasgow,
    United Kingdom

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  • Site GB44008

    Liverpool,
    United Kingdom

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  • Site GB44007

    London,
    United Kingdom

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  • Site GB44003

    Newcastle Upon Tyne,
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site GB44001

    Nottingham,
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Site GB44004

    Southampton,
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

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