Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide

Pharmacology

Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide is a phosphate binder. It's used to control serum phosphorus levels in patients with chronic kidney disease who are on dialysis. Once it's in the watery environment of the GI tract, it binds phosphate from the diet by ligand exchange, where the hydroxyl groups and/or water in Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide are swapped for the phosphate. The bound phosphate leaves the body with the feces. Because less dietary phosphate is absorbed, both the serum phosphorus level and the calcium-phosphorus product level come down.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide is Pregnancy Category B. Studies in rats and rabbits used doses up to 16 and 4 times, respectively, the maximum recommended clinical dose for humans (compared on a body weight basis). They did not show any impaired fertility or harm to the fetus caused by Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide. But at a dose up to 16 times the maximum clinical dose, it was linked to an increase in post-implantation loss in pregnant rats.

Animal reproduction studies don't always predict how humans will respond, and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. As the body absorbs very little iron from Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide, it is unlikely that the medicine passes into breast milk.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: Chew or crush Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide tablets. Don't swallow them whole. The usual starting dose is 3 tablets (1,500 mg) a day, taken as 1 tablet (500 mg) 3 times daily with meals. Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide must always be taken with meals. Serum phosphorus levels need to be monitored. The dose is then adjusted up or down in steps of 500 mg (1 tablet) per day, as needed, until an acceptable serum phosphorus level is reached, and monitoring continues regularly after that. The dose can be adjusted as often as weekly. To get the best binding of phosphate from food, split the total daily dose across the meals. The patient doesn't need to drink any more fluid than they usually do. If one or more doses of DephosrM are missed, the medicine should be restarted with the next meal. Don't try to make up a missed dose. Pediatric use: The safety and efficacy of Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide have not been established in pediatric patients.

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Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide

Pharmacology

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Dosage Reference

Side Effects & Interactions

Side Effects

Key Interactions