An oral hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor.
It stimulates endogenous erythropoietin production by stabilizing the HIF- alpha subunit, allowing it to dimerize with the HIF-beta subunit and to stimulate genes involving protection against hypoxia, including the erythropoietin gene.
HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors also influence iron homeostasis with effects on transferrin, transferrin receptor expression, hepcidin, and other iron related proteins.
In patients with chronic kidney disease and anemia who were not undergoing dialysis daprodustat was not inferior to darbepoetin Alfa with respect to change in hemoglobin level from baseline and with respect to cardiovascular outcomes.
The drug is approved for adults who have been undergoing dialysis for at least four months.
it is contra indicated for people with uncontrolled hypertension.