Darbepoetin alfa is a re-engineered form of erythropoietin containing 5 amino acid changes (N30, T32, V87, N88,T90) resulting in the creation of 2 new sites for N-linked carbohydrate addition. It has a 3-fold longer serum half-life compared to epoetin alpha and epoetin beta. It stimulates erythropoiesis (increases red blood cell levels) by the same mechanism as rHuEpo (binding and activating the Epo receptor) and is used to treat anemia, commonly associated with chronic renal failure and cancer chemotherapy. Darbepoetin is marketed by Amgen under the trade name Aranesp.....Wikipedia

 

 

Manufacturer's Website: Aranesp

 

 

Average retail cost: $126/dose

Search Terms: Aranesp, darbepoetin alfa, chemotherapy, erythropoiesis, anemia, renal failure