beta-Epoetin Chemical Properties

form 

Liquid

color 

Colorless to light yellow

beta-Epoetin Usage And Synthesis

Uses

Anti-anemic; hematinic.

brand name

Marogen(Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Japan).

Clinical Use

Anaemia associated with renal impairment in pre-dialysis and dialysis patients, and in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy

Drug interactions

Potentially hazardous interactions with other drugs Risk of hyperkalaemia with ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-II antagonists.

Metabolism

The metabolic fate of both endogenous and recombinant erythropoietin is poorly understood. Current evidence from studies in animals suggests that hepatic metabolism contributes only minimally to elimination of the intact hormone, but desialylated epoetin (i.e. terminal sialic acid groups removed) appears to undergo substantial hepatic clearance via metabolic pathways and/or binding. Desialylation and/or removal of the oligosaccharide side chains of erythropoietin appear to occur principally in the liver; bone marrow also may have a role in catabolism of the hormone. Elimination of desialylated drug by the kidneys, bone marrow, and spleen also may occur; results of animal studies suggest that proximal renal tubular secretion may be involved in renal elimination.