During the long evolutionary process of humans transitioning from aquatic to terrestrial life, a highly conserved oxygen sensing and regulatory mechanism has been formed in the human body. In this pathway, prolyl hydroxylase (PH) serves as the core human oxygen sensor. Under normoxic conditions, PH catalyzes the hydroxylation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), leading to the degradation of HIF. In hypoxic environments, however, PH activity is inhibited. The stabilized HIF translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and triggers the expression of a series of downstream target genes. The synergistic effect of these functional target genes promotes erythropoiesis. The discovery of this oxygen regulatory mechanism was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Anemia can be caused by a variety of underlying diseases, among which chronic kidney disease (CKD)-induced anemia is a leading cause. CKD-associated anemia severely impairs the quality of life and survival of tens of millions of nephropathy patients worldwide. Currently, erythropoietin (EPO) is the first-line drug for the clinical treatment of CKD anemia. Nevertheless, EPO treatment is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, bringing significant safety concerns. There is an urgent clinical need for safe and effective alternatives to EPO.

AND017 is a proprietary, highly selective prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor independently developed by Andao Pharmaceuticals. It simulates the hypoxic response of the human body under normoxic conditions. By stabilizing HIF and inducing the orderly expression of downstream target genes, AND017 boosts erythropoiesis and achieves precise therapeutic effects on anemia.

Compared with EPO, AND017 offers distinct competitive advantages. It significantly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events. In addition, its oral administration greatly improves patient medication compliance. Further strengths include a high treatment response rate, no requirement for routine intravenous iron supplementation, and low production costs. As a disruptive new therapy, AND017 is expected to gradually replace traditional EPO agents as the new first-line treatment for CKD anemia, delivering substantial social and economic benefits.