Genzyme kidney drug lowers death rate in trial

Genzyme Corp. said today that patients taking its kidney disease drug Renagel had a lower rate of death than patients taking some other treatments, according to a trial published in the online version of Kidney International.

The Cambridge-based biotechnology company said data from a trial known as RIND involving 127 patients new to hemodialysis showed that those taking Renagel had a significantly lower death rate than those taking calcium-based therapies.

Patients either received Renagel or a calcium-based phosphate binder and were followed for an average of 44 months of treatment. Over that period, 34 deaths occurred, including 23 using calcium-based treatments and 11 using Renagel.

Earlier results from the same trial showed that patients taking the calcium-based therapies had a significantly higher degree of calcium build-up in their coronary arteries, a condition that can harden the arteries and lead to heart attacks. (Reuters)