Affymax, Inc. announced that it has received a $10 million development milestone payment from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company as part of the companies' exclusive global agreement to develop and commercialize peginesatide (formerly known as Hematide), Affymax's investigational drug for the treatment of anaemia in chronic renal failure patients. The payments were triggered by the acceptance and filing of the New Drug Application (NDA) for peginesatide by the FDA.

If approved, peginesatide will be the first once-monthly Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent (ESA) available for the treatment of anaemia associated with CKD patients on dialysis in the United States.

Affymax and Takeda Pharmaceutical North America are collaborating on the development of peginesatide and plan to co-commercialize the product if approved in the United States. The product, upon approval, will be commercialized outside the United States by Takeda. The peginesatide phase III clinical programme was the largest to support the registration of an ESA for the treatment of anaemia in CKD and the first to prospectively evaluate the cardiovascular safety of an ESA via an analysis of independently adjudicated cardiovascular events.

Anaemia is a common complication in CKD, because the impaired kidneys are not able to produce enough erythropoietin, the hormone that promotes the production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Research has shown that anaemia impacts the overall health and well being of CKD and dialysis patients and is associated with increased rates of hospitalization and mortality. In severe or prolonged cases of anaemia, the lack of oxygen in the blood can cause serious and sometimes fatal damage to the heart and other organs.

ESAs, which stimulate red blood cell production, are commonly prescribed to treat anaemia of CKD. According to the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than 95 per cent of patients on dialysis in the US are currently receiving ESA treatment for anaemia of CKD.

Affymax, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing novel drugs to improve the treatment of serious and often life-threatening conditions.