FG-2216 is an orally active, small molecule in clinical development for the treatment of anemia, a serious and widespread medical condition resulting from a deficiency in the capacity of the blood to deliver enough oxygen to the cells and tissues. Based on FibroGen's hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) stabilization technology, FG-2216 is designed to restore the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood by stimulating the body's natural erythropoietic processes, including the induction of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) and the mobilization and utilization of iron stores, essential to the formation of new oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

At the 2005 annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), FibroGen reported data from clinical studies demonstrating proof of concept for FG-2216 in anemic patients with chronic kidney disease not yet receiving dialysis. Phase 2 studies are underway in the U.S.

In 2006, FibroGen completed an exclusive licensing agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. that provides Astellas rights to certain FibroGen HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors for development and marketing for the treatment of anemia in Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Middle East, and South Africa. These inhibitors include FG-2216 and FG-4592. FibroGen retains rights in the rest of the world except in Japan. The Japan rights were licensed previously to Astellas in 2004.

FG-2216 represents a potential first-in-class oral therapy for anemia.

Read more about anemia.

Read more about selective HIF-mediated anemia therapy.