Epoetin beta

Clinical data
Pronunciation	/ɛˈpoʊ.ɪtɪn/
Trade names	Neorecormon, Betapoietin, others[1]
AHFS/Drugs.com	International Drug Names
License data	EU EMA: by INN
Pregnancy category	AU: B3[2]
Routes of administration	Intravenous, subcutaneous
ATC code	B03XA01 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	AU: S4 (Prescription only)[2] EU: Rx-only[3] In general: ℞ (Prescription only)
Identifiers
CAS Number	122312-54-3 N
DrugBank	DB00016 Y
ChemSpider	none
UNII	64FS3BFH5W
KEGG	D03232 N
NY (what is this?)  (verify)

Epoetin beta (INN), sold under the brand name Neorecormon among others, is a synthetic, recombinant^[4] form of erythropoietin, a protein that promotes the production of red blood cells. It is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) that is used to treat anemia, commonly associated with chronic kidney failure and cancer chemotherapy.

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.^[5]

Chemistry

Epoetin beta is a recombinant form of human erythropoietin which is produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells. It has the same protein sequence as natural human erythropoietin, being composed of 165 amino acids with about 30 KDa molecular weight.^[6]

History

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone produced in the kidneys. The existence of this hormone has been known since 1906, when scientists first started isolating it, and since the 1980s, a recombinant version of the hormone has been available for use in medical treatment.^{[citation needed]}