Vifor Pharma’s Ferinject® granted new recommendations in updated 2021 ESC heart failure guidelines
31.8.2021 08:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Regulatory News:
Vifor Pharma is pleased to announce that the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) included new recommendations and proposals in the 2021 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure for two of their key products, Ferinject® and Veltassa®.
With regard to iron deficiency, the following new recommendations for HF patients with reduced function of the heart are added:
- Periodic screening for iron deficiency is recommended in all HF patients (Class I).
- Ferinject® should be considered to reduce the risk of HF hospitalizations in symptomatic HF patients with iron deficiency (Class IIa).
- Ferinject® should be considered before and early after discharge in patients who have been hospitalized with acute heart failure and with iron deficiency to improve HF symptoms and reduce risk of re-hospitalizations (Class IIa).
The existing recommendation to consider Ferinject® in patients with HF and iron deficiency to alleviate HF symptoms, improve exercise capacity and quality of life remains unchanged (Class IIa designation). The results of the AFFIRM-AHF study are reflected in the update of the ESC guidelines. Ferinject® remains the only intravenous (i.v.) iron therapy specifically mentioned in the new ESC HF guidelines.
The guidelines also propose that the use of potassium binder agents like Veltassa® may allow RAAS inhibitor initiation or uptitration in a larger proportion of heart failure patients. In patients with chronic or recurrent hyperkalemia on RAAS inhibitor therapy Veltassa® may as well be initiated to maintain the patients on guidelines recommended doses of RAAS inhibitors. The new proposals further describe the unique evidence for RAASi enabling generated by Veltassa ® through the clinical trials.
“We are very pleased with the new recommendations to the ESC’s guidelines in heart failure and are grateful for this development for the patients,” commented Klaus Henning Jensen, Chief Medical Officer of Vifor Pharma. “With improved diagnosis rates of iron deficiency and enabling RAASi, more patients can benefit from treatment. Reducing the risk of heart failure hospitalizations and improving symptoms are key therapeutic goals in the treatment of heart failure. We are particularly pleased by the consideration of Ferinject® and Veltassa® in the new treatment guidelines to achieve these therapeutic goals and believe this will enable us to further expand our role in helping heart failure patients with iron deficiency and hyperkalemia live better, healthier lives.”
The ESC HF guidelines aim to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of HF, thereby improving and harmonizing standards of diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases for physicians, and potentially optimizing patient care. The ESC HF guidelines are updated periodically, with the 2021 version published at the virtual ESC congress end of August 2021.
The 2021 ESC guidelines are published under: www.escardio.org/Guidelines
About Vifor Pharma Group
Vifor Pharma Group is a global pharmaceuticals company. It aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies. The company is a partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative patient-focused solutions. Vifor Pharma Group strives to help patients around the world with severe and chronic diseases lead better, healthier lives. The company develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for precision patient care. Vifor Pharma Group holds a leading position in all its core business activities and consists of the following companies: Vifor Pharma and Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (a joint company with Fresenius Medical Care). Vifor Pharma Group is headquartered in Switzerland, and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange, VIFN, ISIN: CH0364749348).
For more information, please visit viforpharma.com.
About AFFIRM-AHF
The AFFIRM-AHF study was a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, comparing the effect of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) on hospitalizations and mortality in iron deficient patients admitted for acute heart failure. The study demonstrated that administration of Ferinject® reduced the risk of HF hospitalizations and improved quality of life with no apparent effect on the risk of cardiovascular death.
About Ferinject®
Ferinject®/Injectafer® (ferric carboxymaltose) is a leading i.v. iron therapy with market authorization in 84 countries by the end of June 2021. More than 16 million patient years of experience have helped to establish Ferinject®/ Injectafer® as a trusted brand, with clinical benefits demonstrated by its efficacy and safety data2.
About Veltassa®
Veltassa® (patiromer) is a potassium binder approved for the treatment of hyperkalemia. Veltassa® was specially designed to exchange calcium rather than sodium for potassium ions, ensuring suitability for patients who cannot tolerate even small increases in sodium. Veltassa® should not replace emergency treatment for life-threatening hyperkalemia.
References:
1 Anker, S.,D. (2018). Effects of ferric carboxymaltose on hospitalisations and mortality rates in iron-deficient heart failure patients: an individual patient meta-analysis. Eur J Heart fail. 20(1):125-133. doi: 1002/ejhf.823.
2 Scott Drugs. 2018 Mar;78(4):479–493. doi: 10.1007/ s40265-018-0885-7.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210830005519/en/
Contact information
Media Relations
Nathalie Ponnier
Global Head Corporate Communications
+41 79 957 96 73
media@viforpharma.com
Investor Relations
Julien Vignot
Head of Investor Relations
+41 58 851 66 90
investors@viforpharma.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Laserfiche Introduces AI Agents: The Future of Intelligent Content Management29.4.2026 00:00:00 EEST | Press release
Today at the Laserfiche Empower conference — the premier event for intelligent content management —Laserfiche announced the release of AI Agents. With simple, natural language prompts, these virtual assistants perform complex, multi-step tasks and work within the framework of Laserfiche’s robust security and compliance controls, transforming how you interact with your organization’s information. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428506937/en/ Laserfiche AI Agents leverage advanced generative AI reasoning models to perform tasks that bridge the gap between building workflows and time-consuming manual effort. They can take actions based on document data and execute bulk changes from natural language user instructions. “The introduction of AI Agents to content management signals a shift in how we handle the information lifecycle,” said Karl Chan, CEO of Laserfiche. “We are moving beyond manual processes by offlo
BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group Raises US$1.24 Billion for Largest Reforestation Fund to Date[1]28.4.2026 18:00:00 EEST | Press release
BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (BTG Pactual TIG), one of the world’s largest timberland managers, today announced the close of fundraising for its Latin American Reforestation Strategy, reaching US$1.24 billion in commitments. This represents the largest reforestation fund closed to date,1 providing a model for large-scale reforestation and restoration that seeks to deliver durable climate impact, tangible benefits for rural communities, biodiversity outcomes, and sustainable commercial production. Global environmental organization Conservation International serves as Impact Adviser to the strategy, providing input and advice to help strengthen environmental, climate, and social outcomes related to the strategy’s conservation and restoration activities. Together, BTG Pactual TIG and Conservation International are advancing an approach that aims to conserve, restore, and reforest approximately 660,000 acres of degraded landscapes in Latin America. The approach blends commercial
Qatar Implements Relief Measures to Support Business Community28.4.2026 17:56:00 EEST | Press release
Qatar has activated a comprehensive package of support measures designed to maintain market stability and reinforce investor confidence amid evolving regional conditions. These measures, delivered through the nation’s foreign direct investment ecosystem, provide immediate financial, regulatory and operational relief to Qatar’s international business community. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428904909/en/ Infographic highlights key relief measures implemented in Qatar to support the business community (Infographic: AETOSWire) H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Invest Qatar, stated: “Qatar’s commitment to its business community is unwavering. As regional conditions continue to evolve, we remain fully focused on acting decisively to support companies operating in our market, safeguard business continuity and reinforce confidence. Our approach is grounded i
Dubai’s Medcare Hospital Becomes the World’s First to Treat an Adult Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Patient Outside the US28.4.2026 16:57:00 EEST | Press release
Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital (MRSH) in Dubai has become the world’s first hospital outside the USA, to offer a newly licensed intrathecal gene therapy - Itvisma, to adult patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This one-time treatment was recently administered to a 22-year-old Egyptian patient, who was diagnosed at 18 months and confined to a wheelchair for most of his life. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428038416/en/ Dr. Vivek Mundada with Medcare multidisciplinary medical team (Photo: AETOSWire) Last year, Medcare also became the first healthcare provider globally to administer the newly licensed Itvisma to a four-year-old international SMA patient. SMA is a rare neuromuscular disease that leads to progressive muscle weakness and loss of mobility, impacting movement, breathing, and swallowing. Until now, advancements in gene therapy for SMA were primarily restricted to children under the age o
Perpetual Atomics and QSA Global Fuel the World’s First Americium-Powered Radioisotope Heater Unit Core28.4.2026 16:48:00 EEST | Press release
In a landmark achievement for international space exploration, Perpetual Atomics, QSA Global, Inc. and the University of Leicester have completed the first historical production of an Americium-fuelled Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) full scale core containing ceramic form americium-241 pellets in a metal containment structure. This breakthrough builds on the successful americium pelleting work in late 2025 and on two decades of experience in leading the development of americium space nuclear power systems by the Leicester team. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260428027123/en/ QSA Global and Perpetual Atomics Team Born out of ENDURE, a European Space Agency (ESA) project, and part of a transatlantic collaboration, this achievement provides the steppingstones for an industrial pathway to deliver radioisotope power systems for spacecraft enabling these to survive and thrive in the most extreme environments in the
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom