Lanthanum carbonate effectively controls serum phosphate without affecting serum calcium levels in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Treating hyperphosphatemia without increasing the calcium load in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis is important, as conventional treatment frequently results in ectopic calcification. Sevelamer, a monotherapy for hyperphosphatemia is frequently associated with gastrointestinal disorders, often resulting in discontinuation of treatment. Lanthanum carbonate is a novel non-calcium-based phosphate binder for the treatment of chronic kidney disease. Here, its clinical efficacy and safety were assessed in Japanese dialysis patients. A placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, multicenter study was performed in Japanese dialysis patients. Patients were treated with various dosages of lanthanum carbonate or a placebo daily for six weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in serum phosphate level from the baseline. Secondary endpoints included achievement rates to target serum phosphate levels and changes in serum calcium levels. Safety was evaluated by the incidence of drug-related and treatment-emergent adverse events. A significant reduction in serum phosphate level was demonstrated for all dosages from Week 1. This dose-dependent effect was also observed in the changes in serum calcium x phosphate product, yet there was no notable difference in serum calcium or serum intact parathyroid hormone levels. The incidence of drug-related adverse events was dose-dependent, with the most common being gastrointestinal symptoms. Lanthanum carbonate effectively controls serum phosphate levels and is generally tolerable to Japanese chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis, as reported for the Caucasian population. The optimal dosage in Japanese patients needs to be confirmed using a flexible-dose titration schedule.