The following data were presented at Kidney Week 2011, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology, in Philadelphia:

• AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., said new data from the FIRST head-to-head study comparing Feraheme (ferumoxytol) for intravenous use to iron sucrose in patients with iron deficiency anemia and chronic kidney disease (CKD) demonstrated overall that ferumoxytol 1.02 g, delivered as two injections of 510 mg within 5±3 days, had a favorable safety profile and comparable efficacy to 1 g of iron sucrose dosed as 100 mg or 200 mg over five to 10 injections given over two to 2.5 weeks. Patients treated with ferumoxytol had lower overall rates of adverse events (48 percent vs. 65 percent). The trial enrolled 162 subjects with iron deficiency anemia and either dialysis-dependent or nondialysis-dependent CKD.

• Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., reported Phase I data showing that a controlled-release version of CTP-499, an analogue of 1-([S]-5-hydroxyhexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine (HDX), was well tolerated at single doses up to an including 1,800 mg. The company anticipates starting a Phase II trial of CTP-499 in patients with diabetic nephropathy during the first half of 2012.

• Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of New York, reported data showing potential cost savings based on observations from previous trials of Zerenex (ferric citrate). Those results, presented by DaVita Clinical Research, showed that Zerenex could produce monthly cost savings of $125 per patient for moderate erythropoiesis-stimulating agent users (4,500 to < 9,000 units per sessions) and $320 per patient for high ESA users (greater or equal to 9,000 units per session). Zenerex is in Phase III testing in end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis.