Desidustat Improves Post kidney Transplant Anaemia with Convenient Oral Option, suggests study

A new research published in the journal of Nephrology showed that desidustat increased hemoglobin levels with acceptable short-term tolerability, which was comparable to erythropoietin. Further, its oral administration offers a more convenient, patient-friendly alternative for managing anemia after kidney transplantation.

Post-renal transplant anemia remains a common complication among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), which often requires ongoing management. Until recently, the standard treatment relied heavily on erythropoietin (EPO), which must be administered through injections which poses logistical and comfort challenges for patients.

Studies are now turning their attention to a newer class of drugs known as hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs). One such drug, desidustat, is taken orally and may offer similar benefits without the need for injections.

This prospective observational study involved a total of 58 kidney transplant recipients with hemoglobin (Hb) levels below 10 g/dL, where the patients were treated with either desidustat (30 participants) or EPO (28 participants), based on physician discretion. The study excluded individuals with acute graft dysfunction, active bleeding, or underlying hematological disorders to ensure clearer comparisons.

The primary focus was to assess changes in hemoglobin levels over an 8-week period. Secondary outcomes included inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), as well as iron-related parameters and overall safety.

The results showed that both treatment groups experienced significant improvements in hemoglobin levels over the two-month period. The patients who received desidustat saw their Hb levels rise from an average of 8.69 g/dL to 9.89 g/dL, while those on EPO improved from 8.54 g/dL to 9.55 g/dL. Also, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, which indicated comparable effectiveness.

Also, no meaningful differences were observed in inflammatory markers or iron indices between the treatments. Both therapies were well tolerated, with no adverse events reported during the study period.

While the short duration and modest sample size of this study highlight the need for longer-term research, the findings suggest that desidustat could represent a effective alternative to traditional injectable therapies. The oral formulation of this drug may significantly improve patient adherence and comfort, particularly for those requiring long-term anemia management.

Source:

Barak, P., Divyaveer, S., Pattanaik, S., Kharbanda, S., S, P. E., Subramani, V., Kumar, R., Kekan, K., Behl, S., Kashyap, M., Prajapati, K., Zohmangaihi, D., Mallik, N., Lad, D., Premkumar, M., Yadav, R., Kaur, M., Anandh, U., Ramachandran, R., & Kohli, H. S. (2026b). Efficacy and safety of desidustat versus erythropoietin in post kidney transplant anaemia: A prospective observational study. Nephrology (Carlton, Vic.), 31(4), e70201. https://doi.org/10.1111/nep.70201