Vifor Pharma’s Ferinject® granted new recommendations in updated 2021 ESC heart failure guidelines
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
Civil Air Patrol Expands Fleet With 15 New Cessna Aircraft to Support Lifesaving and Community Missions15.12.2025 18:00:00 EET | Press release
Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the world’s largest operator of Cessna aircraft, is strengthening its national mission capabilities with an order for 15 additional piston-engine aircraft, including seven Cessna Skyhawk 172 and eight Cessna Skylane 182 models scheduled for delivery throughout 2026. The order follows recent deliveries of an additional two Cessna Skylane and one Cessna Turbo Stationair HD aircraft, expanding CAP’s fleet to more than 500 Cessna aircraft nationwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215613573/en/ Delivery of an additional two Cessna Skylane and one Cessna Turbo Stationair HD aircraft joins CAP’s fleet of more than 500 Cessna aircraft nationwide. Cessna aircraft are designed and produced by Textron Aviation. “Civil Air Patrol’s missions demand aircraft that are reliable, versatile and ready to perform in critic
Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing UK to Combine, Creating a Premier Transatlantic Law Firm15.12.2025 17:52:00 EET | Press release
Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing’s UK-led business announced today their intention to combine, creating a premier transatlantic law firm that would operate under a new shared name, Winston Taylor. The combination responds to increasing client demand for seamlessly integrated US–UK–EU counsel for the businesses, people, and markets driving capital and innovation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215914957/en/ The combination once final will unite two international firms with more than 400 years of combined history, complementary strengths, and a common vision to meet clients’ evolving global needs. The combined firm will include more than 1,400 lawyers, establishing one of the largest transatlantic firms whose footprint is primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and also in Latin America and the Middle East. Leveraging significant strength and scale in major litigation, critical tra
Despite Barriers, Financial Institutions are Clear About AI's Greatest Impact15.12.2025 17:32:00 EET | Press release
HTEC, a global AI-first provider of software and hardware design and engineering services, today released The State of AI in Financial Services & Insurance 2025, a first industry subset of its global research report in AI. This publication offers one of the clearest views to date into how financial institutions are adopting and scaling artificial intelligence. This industry-focused report analyzes insights from 250 C-suite leaders within financial services and insurance, drawn from HTEC’s broader global study of 1,529 C-suite executives—including CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, CPOs, CFOs, COOs, CEOs and CSOs—across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Spain. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215790717/en/ Executive Summary: The State of AI in Financial Services and Insurance 2025 The findings confirm a decisive shift in the industry: not a single respondent said AI is not a priority. L
Align Partners Sends Second Public Shareholder Letter to Coway, Urging Announcement of Revised Value-up Plan by January 30, 202615.12.2025 16:54:00 EET | Press release
Align Partners Capital Management Inc. (“Align Partners”), a shareholder of Coway Co., Ltd. (“Coway”) since 2023 holding more than 4% of the Company’s outstanding shares through funds it manages or advises, announced that it has sent a second public shareholder letter to Coway’s Board of Directors. The letter calls for measures to address the company’s chronic undervaluation and enhance shareholder value. Align Partners has requested that Coway announce a revised corporate Value-up Plan reflecting these proposals by January 30, 2026. In the letter, Align Partners assessed Coway’s February 2025 plan as insufficient to address Coway’s persistent undervaluation and urged the Board to incorporate seven measures: (1) clear mid-to-long-term valuation and ROE targets with execution plans; (2) clarified and strengthened target capital structure policy; (3) updated shareholder return policy reflecting both the target capital structure policy and new dividend income tax separation regime; (4) en
Marathon Asset Management Provides Junior Capital Financing to EXALTA Group15.12.2025 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Marathon Asset Management (“Marathon”), a leading global credit manager with more than $24 billion of assets under management, is pleased to announce the closing of a junior capital financing to EXALTA Group (“EXALTA” or the “Company”), a portfolio company of Montagu. Marathon led the financing that supported the formation of EXALTA through the strategic merger of three Montagu-owned companies including Intech, Resolve Surgical Technologies, and Tyber Medical. The transaction marks one of many successful transactions for Marathon’s European Credit business in the healthcare sector, where the firm has a knowledge-based advantage with a dedicated Healthcare Finance business and specialized medical advisory board providing sector insight to middle market companies. EXALTA is a global leader in orthopaedic contract design and manufacturing for spine, trauma, extremities, sports medicine and enabling technology providing comprehensive solutions to OEMs within the medical technology industry
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