Effect of Iron Supplementation on the response to Varenzin-CA1 in Cats with CKD and Anemia

Principle Investigators

Autumn N. Harris and Shelly Vaden

Description

Anemia is common in feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) and several options are available for treatment including the medication Varenzin CA-1 ® . Iron supplementation is an important part of the treatment of anemia in some patients with CKD and is given as standard of care when the anemia medication Darbepoetin alpha is prescribed. Alternatively, Varenzin CA-1 ® has been shown to mobilize iron stores and upregulate intestinal absorption of iron, so the need for additional iron supplementation when this medication is prescribed is unclear. The aim of this study is to compare the degree of response to Varenzin CA-1 ® with and without iron supplementation.

Participation

At the time of screening, a complete history of diet and medications will be collected. Your cat will receive a physical examination and comprehensive laboratory screening to confirm stage of CKD and exclude other newly diagnosed conditions (eg. hypothryoidism, hypertension). Once your doctor has confirmed starting therapy for anemia with Varenzin CA-1 is appropriate, your cat will be enrolled in the clinical trial.

This is a nine week long study in which your cat will be randomized to the group that receives an intramuscular injection of iron supplementation (10 mg/kg) administered by the veterinary care team, or the group that does not. Both groups will receive Varenzin CA-1® liquid suspension at a dose of 5 mg/kg daily orally for 28 days, pause for seven days, and then resume for 28 days. Four additional visits to the veterinarian for monitoring as part of standard care will take place during this period. Alterations to this schedule may occur based on your veterinarians’ recommendations for your individual cat’s care.

A summary of anticipated events is presented in the diagram below. No changes in medication or diet should be made during the study without discussing first with the study team.

Enrollment Start

03/01/2025

Enrollment Finish

03/01/2026

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria:
     1. Cats already diagnosed with CKD – considered IRIS Stage 2- 4 (Serum Creatinine >1.6 mg/dL)
     2. Anemia defined as a PCV 20-28%

Exclusion Criteria:
     1. Cats with unstable CKD, acute kidney injury or cat with a SUB device
     2. Cats receiving immunosuppressive medications at the time of enrollment: chlorambucil, corticosteroids, etc.
     3. Cats with significant comorbidities including unregulated diabetes mellitus, unregulated hyperthyroidism, neoplasia, urinary tract infections, pyelonephritis, etc

Flyer

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Contact

For more information, please contact the Harris Lab at harrislab-clinicaltrials@ncsu.edu