Statement - Roche has not incorporated "a molecule" into Mircera

Roche would like to correct statements suggesting that the company has incorporated ‘a molecule’ into Mircera to help anti-doping authorities detect its illegal use.

Roche is resolute that it’s ESAs, NeoRecormon and Mircera, should only be used as specified in their product labels for patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Misuse of these products by healthy people could lead to an excessive increase in haemoglobin which may be associated with life-threatening heart problems.

The fact is that Mircera is an innovative molecule that is both functionally and structurally different and it can be differentiated in samples from both naturally occurring erythropoietin and from all other traditional ESA products. Roche has provided samples of Mircera and assay reagents to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to help ensure that WADA laboratories will be able to carry out reliable anti-doping testing.