The efficacy and safety of VAFSEO given once daily for the treatment of anemia in adults with CKD on dialysis were demonstrated in two global, multi-center, randomized, active-controlled, non-inferiority, open-label trials in a total of 3923 patients with DD-CKD (INNO2VATE-1 and INNO2VATE-2). Patients in each trial were randomized 1:1 to receive VAFSEO with a starting dose of 300 mg once daily or darbepoetin alfa administered subcutaneously or intravenously as per the prescribing information for 52 weeks to assess the efficacy endpoints. VAFSEO was titrated in increments of 150 mg up to 600 mg to achieve the Hb target. After 52 weeks, patients continued study medication to assess long-term safety until the event-driven major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) endpoints were reached. Efficacy in each study was based on the difference in mean change of Hb from baseline to the primary evaluation period (Weeks 24 to 36). An additional efficacy endpoint was the difference in mean change of Hb from baseline to the secondary evaluation period (Weeks 40 to 52). MACE was defined as all-cause mortality, non-fatal MI and non-fatal stroke and was evaluated in both trials.

The baseline Hb values were between 8 to 11 g/dL in the United States (US) and 9 to 12 g/dL outside the US. INNO2VATE-1 (NCT02865850) included patients with incident DD-CKD who initiated dialysis within 16 weeks prior to the beginning their trial participation and who were ESA-naive, had limited prior ESA use or were maintained on ESAs. INNO2VATE-2 (NCT02892149) included patients on chronic maintenance dialysis for more than 12 weeks who had converted from prior ESA therapy. In INNO2VATE-1, INNO2VATE-2, and the pooled INNO2VATE program the median and range of time from initiating dialysis to starting vadadustat was 0.1 (0.01 to 0.4), 2.7 (0.2 to 31.3) and 2.3 (0.01 to 31.3) years, respectively. The pooled population from the two trials had a range of 19 to 93 years of age, 55.9% were male, and the percentage of Caucasian, Hispanic, Black (including African Americans) and Asian patients was 64.5%, 38.5%, 24.1% and 4.5%, respectively. In both trials, VAFSEO was non-inferior to darbepoetin alfa in correcting and maintaining Hb levels across geographic-specific target Hb ranges [10 to 11 g/dL in the US and 10 to 12 g/dL outside the US] in adults with DD-CKD at weeks 24 to 36 and weeks 40 to 52.

Efficacy results are provided in Table 5. There were no apparent differences in response to VAFSEO across subgroups of age, gender, race and region.

Table 5 VAFSEO EFFICACY RESULTS: INNO2VATE TRIALS

Cardiovascular Outcomes - Patients with Dialysis-Dependent CKD   
MACE was assessed in a combined analysis of INNO2VATE-1 and INNO2VATE-2. VAFSEO was non-inferior to darbepoetin alfa in time to first occurrence of MACE (Hazard Ratio 0.96; 95% CI 0.83, 1.11). Non-inferiority of VAFSEO was established because the upper bound of the 95% CI for the MACE hazard ratio was less than the pre-specified non-inferiority margin of 1.25. The results were consistent for the individual components of the MACE endpoint (see Table 6).

Table 6 Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in the INNO2VATE Trials (ITT Analysesa)

An analysis of the US region (N=2361 of 3902 total patients globally) for MACE and the individual MACE components, where patients were treated to a Hb target of 10 to 11 g/dL, showed a similar risk of MACE compared to darbepoetin alfa. The results were consistent for the individual components of the MACE endpoint (see Table 7).

Table 7 INNO2VATE Analyses of the MACE endpoint and the individual components for the US region where the patients were treated to a Hb target of 10 to 11 g/dL