Daprodustat (GSK1278863) is a low nanomolar hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) inhibitor, that increases HIF stability and action. In preclinical studies, Daprodustat stabilizes HIFα in cell lines, resulting in the production of increased levels of erythropoietin (EPO). In normal mice, a single dose of Daprodustat induced significant increases in circulating plasma EPO but only minimal increases in plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) concentrations. Daprodustat significantly increased reticulocytes and red cell mass parameters in pre-clinical species following once-daily oral administration and has demonstrated an acceptable nonclinical toxicity profile supporting continued clinical development. In a phase 1 study, Daprodustat was well tolerated and increased erythropoietin (EPO) levels in apparently healthy individuals proportional to dose. In phase 2a studies in non–dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD CKD) and end-stage renal disease Daprodustat 4-10 mg once-daily produced the dose-dependent increase in hemoglobin relative to placebo. The Phase III programme for the drug includes two studies evaluating its safety and efficacy compared to recombinant human erythropoietin in dialysis-dependent subjects with anemia associated with CKD (ASCEND-D) and in non-dialysis dependent patients with the condition (ASCEND-ND).