Treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on hemodialysis using a novel synthetic peptide calcimimetic, etelcalcetide: a short-term clinical study

OBJECTIVE: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a major complication in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). SHPT is related to chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Etelcalcetide is intravenously administered at the end of hemodialysis (HD). Etelcalcetide differs from the oral calcimimetic cinacalcet because it reduces gastrointestinal adverse events, thereby improving therapeutic effects. Etelcalcetide has only been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for several months. Therefore, there have only been a few reports regarding treatment of SHPT using etelcalcetide. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of etelcalcetide in patients on HD with SHPT. METHODS: Nine patients on HD (four men and five women, aged 58 ± 10 years) were enrolled in this study. All of the patients received etelcalcetide (5–10 mg, three times a week after HD). The observation period was 4.4 ± 1.0 months. RESULTS: All of the patients showed a significant reduction in serum parathyroid hormone levels during the observation period (−59% ± 20%). No significant adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study had an uncontrolled small group and a short observation period, our results suggest that etelcalcetide could be a promising agent for SHPT treatment.