Iron isomaltoside 1000: a new high dose option for parenteral iron therapy

Abstract

Iron isomaltoside 1000 (Monofer®) is a new dextran-free parenteral iron product, currently approved in 22 EU countries. Iron isomaltoside 1000 consists of iron and a carbohydrate moiety where the iron is tightly bound in a matrix structure, which enables a controlled and slow release of iron to iron-binding proteins, avoiding toxicity. The carbohydrate,isomaltoside 1000, is a purely linear chemical structure with low immunological activity. Due to the structure of iron isomaltoside 1000 and the low anaphylactic potential, there is no requirement for a test dose, and it can be administered in high doses with a maximum dosage of 20 mg/kg within 30-60 minutes in one visit. Thus, iron isomaltoside 1000 offers the broadest dosage range compared to other parenteral iron products on the market. Due to the dose flexibility, the possibility of providing full iron correction in one single visit makes iron isomaltoside 1000 highly convenient for both the health care professional and the patient. Clinical studies of iron isomaltoside 1000 show that it is an effective and well-tolerated treatment of iron deficiency anaemia with a favourable safety profile. Furthermore, iron isomaltoside 1000 does not seem to induce hypophosphataemia.