Prescription medicine
Sodium polystyrene sulfonate Brand names: Kionex; first approved as Kayexalate
Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1958. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 11 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.155 per gram (Sodium polystyrene sulf powder) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the sodium polystyrene sulfonate FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 29, 2023, Epic Pharma, LLC); the NDA 11287 record on Drugs@FDA; every sodium polystyrene sulfonate label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of November 29, 2023; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Powder, for Suspension is indicated for the treatment of hyperkalemia.
Forms and strengths
- 1 g/g
- 4.1 meq/g
- 15 g/60ml
Powder for suspension; suspension; powder.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 5, 1958 Kayexalate, Concordia; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 15 first December 8, 1982; 11 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 11 of which 11 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.155 per gram Sodium polystyrene sulf powder
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 1,586 through July 30, 2026
What is sodium polystyrene sulfonate used for?
From the label: indications and usageSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Powder, for Suspension is indicated for the treatment of hyperkalemia. Limitation of Use: Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Powder, for Suspension should not be used as an emergency treatment for life-threatening hyperkalemia because of its delayed onset of action [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Powder, for Suspension is indicated for the treatment of hyperkalemia (1). Limitation of Use: Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Powder, for Suspension should not be used as an emergency treatment for life-threatening hyperkalemia because of its delayed onset of action (1).
FDA pharmacologic class: Potassium Binder.
Source: FDA drug label (Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate), Epic Pharma, LLC, effective November 29, 2023 (SPL set 61cc890b-eb3d-494c-ae45-629a27e721ce), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate)?
The FDA approved the first generic sodium polystyrene sulfonate on December 8, 1982. 15 generic applications are approved; 11 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists sodium polystyrene sulfonate from 11 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1958 earliest approval on file
- 1982 first generic approved
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.155 per gram (Sodium polystyrene sulf powder), down 56% from $0.355 on October 8, 2025. The survey records the price, not the reason for a change; large moves often follow a new generic or a list-price change. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Sodium polystyrene sulf powder (generic)
- Kionex 15 g/60 mL suspension (brand)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium polystyrene sulf powder | Generic | $0.155 per gram | n/a | -56% |
| Sps 15 g/60 mL suspension | Generic | $0.412 per mL | n/a | -1% |
| Kionex 15 g/60 mL suspension | Brand | $0.306 per mL | n/a | -7% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What does the sodium polystyrene sulfonate label say about other medicines?
The sodium polystyrene sulfonate label names 1 other medicine in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 6 other medicines name sodium polystyrene sulfonate. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium | drug interactions | Decreased absorption of lithium and thyroxine have also been reported with co-administration of Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Powder, for Suspension. |
Other labels that name sodium polystyrene sulfonate
Source: FDA drug label (Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate), Epic Pharma, LLC, effective November 29, 2023 (SPL set 61cc890b-eb3d-494c-ae45-629a27e721ce), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for sodium polystyrene sulfonate?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 1,586 reports that list sodium polystyrene sulfonate among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 220 are coded as a death and 749 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Other potassium binders
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Sodium polystyrene sulfonate side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other