Relypsa's Veltassa OK'd, But Black Box Spooks Investors

Even though Relypsa Inc. achieved the ultimate regulatory success of gaining US approval on Oct. 21 of Veltassa (patiromer) – the first drug in 50 years to treat hyperkalemia, which often affects people with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease, heart failure, diabetes and hypertension – investors were spooked by the black-box warning the FDA imposed on the medicine's labeling.