New pill could help dialysis patients fight anemia without needles

NCT ID NCT03461146

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Tanabe Pharma Corporation Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 3 trial tested an oral drug called vadadustat (MT-6548) in 24 Japanese adults on hemodialysis who had anemia due to chronic kidney disease. The goal was to see if the drug could raise and maintain healthy hemoglobin levels safely. Participants took the tablet daily, and researchers tracked blood counts and side effects over several months.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: vadadustat (MT-6548), an oral tablet
What this could lead to: If successful, this could offer a new oral option to manage anemia in people on dialysis, potentially reducing the need for injections of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase study in Japan only, so results may not apply broadly. The drug may not work as well as expected or could have side effects like high blood pressure or blood clots.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anemia anemia due to chronic disorder chronic kidney disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANEMIA; HEMODIALYSIS DEPENDENT CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Research site

Aichi, Japan
Research site

Chiba, Japan
Research site

Fukushima, Japan
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Gunma, Japan
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Hokkaido, Japan
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Hyōgo, Japan
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Ibaraki, Japan
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Kagoshima, Japan
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Nagano, Japan
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Okayama, Japan
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Okinawa, Japan
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Osaka, Japan
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Saitama, Japan
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Shiga, Japan
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Shizuoka, Japan
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Yamagata, Japan

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