Table 6.
Cost Comparison of Available Phosphate Binders 30
| Product | Pharmacological Class | Starting Dose and Dosage Forms | Cost Per Month* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum hydroxide | Ionic, noncalcium, metal-based dietary phosphate binder | 320 mg/5 mL gel/suspension by mouth three times daily with meals | $6 (OTC) |
| Calcium carbonate | Ionic, calcium-based, nonmetal dietary phosphate binder | 500-mg tablet by mouth three times daily with meals | $2 (OTC) |
| Calcium acetate (PhosLo, Fresenius Medical Care; Phoslyra, Fresenius Medical Care; Eliphos, Cypress Pharmaceuticals) | Ionic, calcium-based, nonmetal dietary phosphate binder | 667-mg capsule (PhosLo) or tablet (Eliphos) or 667-mg/5-mL solution (Phoslyra), each by mouth three times daily with meals | PhosLo: $76 (generic, $47) Eliphos: $56 Phoslyra: $100 |
| Ferric citrate (Auryxia, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals) | Ionic, noncalcium, metal-based dietary phosphate binder | 1-g tablets; take two by mouth three times daily with meals | $909 |
| Lanthanum carbonate (Fosrenol, Shire) | Ionic, noncalcium, nonmetal-based dietary phosphate binder | 500-mg tablet by mouth three times daily with meals | $1,009 |
| Sevelamer carbonate (Renvela, Genzyme) | Ion-exchange resin, noncalcium, nonmetal dietary phosphate binder | 800-mg packet or tablet by mouth three times daily with meals | Packet: $1,252 Tablet: $504 (generic, $371) |
| Sucroferric oxyhydroxide (Velphoro, Vifor Pharma) | Ligand-exchange, noncalcium, metal-based dietary phosphate binder | 500-mg tablet by mouth three times daily with meals | $1,026 |
*
Cost is based on the average wholesale price for a 30-day supply of a starting dose, assuming one dose by mouth three times daily with meals; prices are rounded to the nearest dollar. Drug prices as of April 9, 2015.