The second-generation erythropoietic agent, darbepoetin-α ['Aranesp'] may be more effective than the current standard therapy, epoetin-α, in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anaemia in patients with solid tumours, according to results from a phase II study presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [Orlando, US; May 2002]. More rapid improvements in haemoglobin levels and quality of life (QOL) were achieved in patients treated with darbepoetin-α, compared with those receiving epoetin-α. Furthermore, the use of loading doses of darbepoetin-α to achieve initial haemoglobin responses, followed by reduced maintenance dosing, was shown to be effective. Reduced frequency of administration was also shown to be effective in a separate, placebo-controlled study which demonstrated that darbepoetin-α had comparable efficacy when given every 3 or 4 weeks