Following an abbreviated submission, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted sevelamer carbonate (Renvela®) for use within NHS Scotland for the control of hyperphosphataemia in adults receiving dialysis.  It has been restricted to the second-line management of hyperphosphataemia in adult patients receiving haemodialysis.

The advice (available at the link below) notes that sevelamer carbonate has been shown to be therapeutically equivalent to sevelamer hydrochloride in reducing serum phosphorus in patients with chronic kidney disease on haemodialysis. For patients in whom sevelamer hydrochloride is an appropriate choice of phosphate binder, the carbonate salt provides an alternative at no additional cost.

As the manufacturer’s submission related only to the control of hyperphosphataemia in adult patients receiving haemodialysis, the SMC was unable recommend the use of sevelamer carbonate in pre-dialysis patients or in peritoneal dialysis patients.