For patients who can’t tolerate ferrous iron supplements

Maltofer is an oral iron therapy, indicated for the treatment and prevention of iron deficiency where the use of ferrous iron supplements is not tolerated, or otherwise inappropriate.1 Containing iron as iron polymaltose, it restores iron levels with significantly less gastrointestinal side effects and better treatment compliance than ferrous sulfate.2,3*

Round orange gradient graphic of woman silhouetted jogging with sunset in background and birds flying

Maltofer works differently

Maltofer is absorbed differently to ferrous salts. Maltofer is absorbed via an active and controlled mechanism which allows the body to absorb iron only when in a state of iron deficiency.1 By comparison, ferrous salts are absorbed by the body by both paracellular diffusion (an uncontrolled , passive mechanism) and active transport. 3,4

Iron deficiency and Maltofer

Packshots of Maltofer Iron Tablets and Maltofer Iron Syrup

Why recommend Maltofer for your patients?

  • A therapeutic dose of iron with 100mg of elemental iron in each tablet
  • Significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects 2,3*
  • Better treatment compliance with Maltofer versus ferrous sulfate in pregnant women (Category B1)1,2
  • No known interactions with food and most medications to date1
  • Free from lactose, gluten, dairy, soy and yeast. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians

Clinical evidence:

Safety and tolerability

Maltofer demonstrates significantly better tolerability and compliance vs ferrous sulfate in pregnant women2,3*

maltofer graph

Note: Up to 54% of patients did not complete their full course of ferrous sulfate as prescribed compared to 27% of women that did not complete their full course of Maltofer as prescribed2

Efficacy

Maltofer demonstrates comparable efficacy to ferrous sulfate2,3*

Hb changes from baseline in pregnant women
  • The change in Hb from baseline to Day 90 was similar in the Maltofer and ferrous sulfate treatment groups2
  • The change in serum ferritin from baseline to Day 90 was significantly higher in the Maltofer group versus ferrous sulfate (64 μg/L versus 41 μg/L, p = 0.004)2

Iron absorption from Maltofer

Maltofer is a complex nanomedicine that is absorbed differently to ferrous salts.

Maltofer is absorbed by a controlled mechanism using active transporters in the gut wall. By comparison, ferrous salts are absorbed by the body by both paracellular diffusion (an uncontrolled, passive mechanism) and active transport. This active uptake mechanism ensures that the absorption of iron from iron polymaltose is correlated with the degree of iron deficiency, that is, the higher the iron deficiency, the better the relative absorption.1

Maltofer can be taken with food5,6

  • With Maltofer, iron absorption increases when taken with food5,7
  • With ferrous supplements, food can interfere with iron absorption7
  • Ferrous salts are absorbed best if taken on an empty stomach 1 hour before, or 2 hours after, food8
Birds eye view image of wooden table with plates of lamb, bread, salad and lemon, mushrooms and tomatoes with spring onion

Maltofer iron does not require vitamin C for optimal absorption

In clinical studies, safety and efficacy of Maltofer was assessed without the presence of vitamin C.

  • Maltofer was found to be efficacious, without the need for vitamin C

Maltofer can be used in conjunction with vitamin C but is not required to achieve optimal results.

Maltofer and pregnancy 

Graphic of silhouetted pregnant woman standing side on with round orange gradient and birds flying in background

Iron deficiency in pregnancy

By the third trimester of pregnancy:

  • Iron deficiency occurs in up to 40% of pregnant women9
  • Iron intake requirements can increase almost 10-fold10 and usually dietary iron alone cannot meet the body’s increased need11
  • Iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of premature birth,12,13 low birth weight12-14 and perinatal risk for mothers and neonates14

Clinical evidence for use of Maltofer in pregnancy

A multicentre, randomised, controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of oral iron(III)-polymaltose complex versus ferrous sulfate in pregnant women with iron deficiency anaemia demonstrated that:2‡

  • Maltofer and oral ferrous sulfate demonstrated similar efficacy in the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy, with clinically meaningful increases in Hb2
  • Maltofer 100 mg iron twice daily was better tolerated than ferrous sulfate, with fewer gastrointestinal side effects2
  • Significantly better treatment compliance with Maltofer vs ferrous sulfate in pregnant women (p=0.015)**
Graph Adverse effects vs ferrous sulfate
  • Adverse events were reported in 29.3% of Maltofer – treated patients versus 56.4% of patients in the ferrous sulfate group (p = 0.015)2
  • The most commonly reported adverse events (nausea, vomiting and constipation) were all less frequent in the Maltofer arm versus the ferrous sulfate group2
hcp graph
  • The change in Hb from baseline to Day 90 was similar in the Maltofer and ferrous sulfate treatment groups2
  • The increase in serum ferritin from baseline to Day 90 was significantly higher in the Maltofer group versus ferrous sulfate (64 μg/L versus 41 μg/L, p = 0.004)2