Shire: UK launch expands reach of Fosrenol

Shire has announced that its recent launch of Fosrenol (lanthanum carbonate) in the UK has increased the global reach of the drug to approximately 1.4 million patients.

This launch followed the approval of the compound to control hyperphosphataemia in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis or haemodialysis as a treatment for chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Fosrenol has a high affinity for phosphate and binds to dietary phosphate in CKD patients to reduce serum phosphorus levels, while most patients are treated with one chewable tablet each meal.

David Milton, senior vice-president of the renal business unit at Shire, said: “Shire is delighted with the introduction of Fosrenol in the UK, adding to recent successful launches into Germany and France which have helped to extend the availability of this important new product across Europe.”

He added that the compound provided patients with a simple and easier treatment programme, with control of serum phosphate levels traditionally being seen as complex and difficult for patients already receiving a number of therapies for CKD.

Fosrenol was launched in the UK last month, following the introduction of the compound to a number of European countries, including Austria, France, Germany and the Netherlands.