Amgen releases clinical trial results for Aranesp

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. Biotech company Amgen got lackluster results from a late-stage clinical trial of a drug in patients with Type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and anemia.

The Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based company announced Wednesday that the phase 3 trial found no significant difference between patients with Type 2 diabetes and renal insufficiency receiving Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) to treat CKD and anemia and those receiving placebo in terms of heart-related death, kidney-related death or chronic need for kidney transplants. The drug is already approved to treat the two conditions in non-diabetic patients.

CKD, also known as chronic renal failure, affects some 26 million Americans, according to the National Kidney Foundation.