MIRCERA(R) Data Features Strongly at the American Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting

Basel, Switzerland (ots/PRNewswire) - Ten abstracts providing new
analyses of data from six major Phase III renal anaemia studies for
MIRCERA(R) will be published/presented at the upcoming 40th Annual
Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) in San Francisco
on 2 - 5 November.

Among the highlights will be new analyses from 'maintenance'
studies including MAXIMA, PROTOS, STRIATA and RUBRA and 'correction'
studies; ARCTOS and AMICUS.

Please note all information presented at the ASN is embargoed for
media release until one hour after the time of presentation.

Abstracts accepted for the ASN include:

- Once-monthly intravenous (IV) C.E.R.A maintains stable
hemoglobin (Hb) in dialysis patients (pts), irrespective of age or
gender. S. Fishbane et al. (SU-PO779. 4th November: 10:00 - 12:00.
Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre).

- Stable hemoglobin (Hb) levels are maintained with once-monthly
C.E.R.A. in dialysis patients (pts), irrespective of mode of vascular
access. F. Locatelli et al. (SU-PO822. 4th November: 10:00 - 12:00.
Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre).

- Once-monthly C.E.R.A. maintains stable hemoglobin (Hb) in
patients (pts) with chronic kidney disease (CKD), irrespective of
baseline iron levels. A. Nissenson et al. (SU-PO819. 4th November:
10:00

- 12:00. Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre)

- C.E.R.A. maintains stable hemoglobin (Hb) in chronic kidney
disease (CKD), regardless of albumin or dialysis adequacy (Kt/V). W.
Sulowicz et al. (Publication Only)

- Effect of baseline hemoglobin (Hb) on Hb stability in patients
(pts) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) receiving once-monthly
C.E.R.A. N.W. Levin et al. (SU-PO817. 4th November: 10:00 - 12:00.
Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre)

- Anemia correction with C.E.R.A. in patients (pts) with chronic
kidney disease (CKD) is unaffected by baseline hemoglobin (Hb) level.
R. Provenzano et al. (SU-PO796. 4th November: 10:00 - 12:00. Exhibit
Hall, Moscone Centre)

- Median hemoglobin (Hb) decline following C.E.R.A. dose
interruption is similar to that with other erythropoiesis stimulating
agents (ESAs). P. Barany et al. (SU-PO795. 4th November: 10:00 -
12:00. Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre)

- Diabetes status and ethnicity do not alter efficacy of C.E.R.A
in patients with chronic kidney disease: analysis of 3 phase III
trials. T. Golper et al. (SU-PO1019. 4th November: 10:00 - 12:00.
Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre)

- C.E.R.A. maintains hemoglobin in dialysis patients directly
switched from epoetin (EPO) without increasing iron therapy
requirements. A. Nissenson et al. (F-PO855. 2nd November: 10:00 -
12:00. Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre)

- C.E.R.A. every 2 or 4 weeks maintains hemoglobin control in CKD
patients on dialysis with and without congestive heart failure:
pooled Phase III analysis. S. Fishbane et al. (F-PO843. 2nd November:
10:00 - 12:00. Exhibit Hall, Moscone Centre)

About MIRCERA

MIRCERA, a continuous erythropoietin receptor activator, has a
different activity at the receptor level involved in stimulating red
blood cell production. This is believed to be instrumental in
delivering predictable and stable haemoglobin levels with
once-monthly maintenance dosing.

MIRCERA was approved in the EU in July and in Switzerland and
Norway in September and is the first ESA that offers a convenient
dosing schedule of once every two weeks to correct anaemia in all CKD
patient types not previously treated. MIRCERA is also the first ESA
in the EU approved to directly convert all CKD patient types
previously treated with any ESA to once-monthly dosing. The safety
and efficacy of MIRCERA in other indications has not been
established. MIRCERA has now been launched in Austria, Sweden,
Germany and the UK. In the US, the FDA is completing its review and
MIRCERA is anticipated to be approved mid-November.

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ots Originaltext: Roche Pharmaceuticals
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For more information, please contact: Sheila Gies, Roche, Tel:
+1-973-235-4347, Mob: +1-973-687-0188