Very few athletes has been banned for using Roxadustat or FG-4592. In the Anti-Doping Database we have only registered four such cases.
Three athletes (2 cyclists and 1 race walker) was banned in 2015.
The most famous athlete banned is the Romanian tennis-player Simona Halep. The former number one was banned in 2023 - eight years since the first registered cases involving this substance.
All athletes were sidelined for four years.
Stimulates production of erythropoietin
According to Sports Integrity Initiative (SII), Roxadustat is often named as "Oxygen in a pill". This because the drug stimulates production of EPO. The drug have some benefit over EPO, as it does not raise blood pressure and thus reducing the risk of heart attacks due to 'thickened' blood.
WADA put the drug on their list of prohibited substances in 2019. Four years after two cyclists tested positive for the drug.
SII also reports that the International Cycling Union (UCI) have been analysing athletes samples for the substance since 2011.
Caused death during trial period
FG-4592 is a banned product which stimulates the exogenous production of the blood booster EPO. It went through phase II clinical trials but in May 2007 this was temporarily suspended following the death of a trial participant due to fulminant hepatitis.
The potential side effects of FG-4592 include high blood pressure, low potassium levels, and an increased risk of stroke. These risks are reasons why the US Food and Drug Administration has not allowed the drug in the US market.
Cycling:
- 2015: Fabio Taborre, Italy (OOC)
- 2015: Carlos Oyarzun, Chile (IC)
Track & field
- 2015: Bertrand Moulinet, France
Tennis
- 2023: Simona Halek, Romania
Sources
- Roxadustat - Fibrogen - FDA - PDF
- FDA Committee Votes Against Approval of Roxadustat for Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease
- Roxadustat FDA Approval Status
- Detection by LC–MS/MS of HIF stabilizer FG-4592 used as a new doping agent: Investigation on a positive case