Singapore – China's National Medical Products Administration approves FibroGen's roxadustat, a hypoxia-inducible prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

Roxadustat, a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), promotes coordinated erythropoiesis through increasing endogenous erythropoietin, improving iron availability, and reducing hepcidin. Administration of roxadustat has been shown to increase red blood cell production while maintaining plasma erythropoietin levels within or near normal physiologic range in multiple subpopulations of CKD patients, including in the presence of inflammation, and without a need for supplemental intravenous iron.

The company is collaborating with AstraZeneca on the development and commercialization of roxadustat in China, the U.S. and certain other markets.