This preparation is administered less frequently than other erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) due to the longer elimination half-life. Treatment with this preparation has to be initiated under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

Treatment of anemic patients with chronic kidney disease:

• The solution can be administered subcutaneously (s.c.) or intravenously (i.v.), according to clinical preference.
• This preparation can be injected subcutaneously in the abdomen, arm or thigh. All three injection sites are equally suitable for subcutaneous injection with this preparation.
• It is recommended that hemoglobin is monitored every two weeks until stabilized, and periodically thereafter.

Patients currently not treated with an Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent:

• Patients not on dialysis- In order to increase the haemoglobin to greater than 11 g/dl (6.83 mmol/L), the recommended starting dose is 1.2 microgram/kg body weight administered once every month as a single subcutaneous injection. Alternatively, a starting dose of 0.6 microgram/kg body weight may be administered once every two weeks as a single IV or SC injection.
• Patients on dialysis- In order to increase the haemoglobin to greater than 11 g/dl (6.83 mmol/L), the recommended starting dose of 0.6 microgram/kg body weight may be administered once every two weeks as a single IV or SC injection.
• The dose of this preparation may be increased by approximately 25 to 50% of the previous dose if the rate of rise in hemoglobin is less than 1.0 g/dl (0.621mmol/l) over a month. Further increases of approximately 25 to 50% may be made at monthly intervals until the individual target hemoglobin level is obtained.
• If the rate of rise in hemoglobin is greater than 2 g/dl (1.24 mmol/l) in one month, the dose is to be reduced by approximately 25 to 50%. If the hemoglobin level exceeds 13 g/dl (8.07 mmol/l), therapy is to be interrupted until the hemoglobin level falls below 13 g/dl and then restarted with approximately 50% of the previously administered dose. For regions where the upper limit of hemoglobin level has been set at 12 g/dl, dose adjustments of 25% should be considered. After dose interruption a hemoglobin decrease of approximately 0.35 g/dl per week is expected.
• Patients treated once every two weeks whose haemoglobin concentration is above 11 g/dl (6.83 mmol/l) may receive this preparation administered once monthly using the dose equally to twice the previous once every two weeks dose. Dose adjustments should not be made more often than once a month.

Patients currently treated with an Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent: Patients currently treated with an ESA can be converted to This preparation administered once a month or, if desired, once every two weeks as a single i.v. or s.c. injection. The starting dose of This preparation is based on the calculated previously given weekly dose of darbepoetin alfa or epoetin at the time of substitution as described in Tables 1 and 2 below. The first injection of This preparation should be administered at the next scheduled dose of the previously administered darbepoetin alfa or epoetin.