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Physicochemical properties of ferumoxytol, a new intravenous iron preparation
Author(s) -
Balakrishnan V. S.,
Rao M.,
Kausz A. T.,
Brenner L.,
Pereira B. J. G.,
Frigo T. B.,
Lewis J. M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2009.02130.x
Subject(s) - ferumoxytol , iron sucrose , chemistry , dextran , intravenous iron , ferric , sucrose , oligosaccharide , biochemistry , nuclear chemistry , medicine , inorganic chemistry , iron deficiency , anemia , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology
Background Intravenous iron is a critical component of anaemia management. However, currently available preparations have been associated with the release of free iron, a promoter of bacterial growth and oxidative stress. Materials and methods We determined the molecular weight, dialysability and capacity for free iron release of ferumoxytol, a semi‐synthetic carbohydrate‐coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle. Ferumoxytol was compared with three intravenous iron preparations in clinical use: iron dextran (low molecular weight), sodium ferric gluconate and iron sucrose. Intravenous iron preparations were also incubated in rat, and pooled human sera (at concentrations of 600 μM and 42 μg mL −1 respectively) from healthy subjects. Results The molecular weight of ferumoxytol was 731 kDa. The relative order of molecular weight was as follows: ferumoxytol > iron dextran > iron sucrose > sodium ferric gluconate. The least ultrafilterable iron was observed with ferumoxytol and the most with ferric gluconate. The least dialysable free iron was observed with ferumoxytol and the most with ferric gluconate. Incubation of intravenous iron preparations in rat or pooled human sera demonstrated minimal free iron release with ferumoxytol. The order of catalytic iron release as detected by the bleomycin detectable iron assay was as follows: ferumoxytol < iron dextran < iron sucrose < ferric gluconate. A similar trend was observed for the in vivo serum concentration of free iron in rats. Conclusions In vitro observations from these experiments suggest that ferumoxytol has a favourable profile in terms of tendency to release free iron, in comparison with currently available intravenous iron preparations.