Although the level of hepatic EPO production is weak and insufficient to compensate for anemia in CKD, stimulating hepatic EPO by pharmacologic HIF stabilization is sufficient to improve anemia in models of anemia caused by either renal insufficiency or chronic inflammation (Kapitsinou et al., 2010; Querbes et al., 2012; Yamazaki et al., 2013). The gene discussed is EPO; the disease is anemia.