Ferumoxytol: an emerging therapeutic for iron deficiency anemia

INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is common worldwide, and various iron replacement therapies are available. Ferumoxytol is an injectable, high-dose iron formulation (510 mg) that can be administered over a short period (15 min) without test administration. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2009 for the treatment of IDA in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and in 2018, the indication was expanded to include patients without CKD. AREAS COVERED: This paper reviews studies testing the efficacy and safety of ferumoxytol in treating IDA compared with other iron formulations. EXPERT OPINION: There is substantial evidence that ferumoxytol is effective for the treatment of IDA. The efficacy of ferumoxytol in improving anemia is comparable to that of iron sucrose and ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and superior to that of oral iron or a placebo in replenishing iron stores. Treatment with ferumoxytol, although more expensive, is cost-effective for outpatients requiring parenteral administration because it requires fewer doses and shorter dosing times per dose. Ferumoxytol also causes less frequent hypophosphatemia than FCM. Currently, its use in children and pregnant women is under consideration, which may provide important information for the future applications of ferumoxytol in larger numbers of patients.