 Inclusion Criteria: - Diagnosis of CRF and 3 times weekly prescribed hemodialysis treatments for at least 8 weeks before signing informed consent - No planned change in dialysis modality or schedule - Black as indicated on the Chronic Medical Evidence Disease Report, CMMS Form 2728 - Hemoglobin 9.5 to 12.5 gdL on 2 consecutive occasions during the screening period 1 week 2 days apart and baseline hemoglobin level of 9.5 - 12.5 gdL defined as the mean of all measurements taken during the screening and baseline periods - Transferrin saturation greater than or equal to 20 but less than or equal to 50 - Stable rHuEPO therapy given 3 times per week by intravenous IV route of administration for 6 weeks before randomization stable is defined as less than or equal to 25 change in prescribed dose over 6 weeks, same route of administration, and no more than 1 missed or withheld dose during each of the two 3-week periods before randomization Exclusion Criteria: - Scheduled for a living-related or living non-related donor transplant - rHuEPO dose greater than 40,000 units weekly - Uncontrolled hypertension postdialysis diastolic blood pressure greater than 105 mmHg andor systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mmHg on more than 1 occasion as noted in the collected blood pressure measurements during the screeningbaseline period - Congestive heart failure New York Heart Association NYHA Class III or IV - Major surgery excluding vascular access surgery within 8 weeks before signing informed consent and during screeningbaseline - Clinical evidence of active inflammatory disease requiring cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, prednisone or other immunosuppressive therapy within 8 weeks before signing the informed consent and during screeningbaseline - Currently at the signing of the informed consent receiving antibiotics for a systemic infection and during screeningbaseline - Known positivity for HIV antibody or hepatitis B surface antigen - Grand mal seizures within the last year - Clinical evidence of current malignancy other than non-melanomatous skin malignancy, andor receiving chemotherapy, andor radiation therapy for malignancies within 8 weeks of signing the informed consent and during screeningbaseline - Active systemic hematologic disease e.g., sickle cell anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, hematological malignancy, myeloma, hemolytic anemia within 8 weeks of signing the informed consent and during screeningbaseline - Clinical evidence of severe hyperparathyroidism parathyroid hormone PTH level greater than 1500 pgmL or biopsy-proven bone marrow fibrosis at last measurement - ALT or AST greater than 2x the upper limit of the normal range - Red blood cell transfusions within 8 weeks before signing the informed consent and during screeningbaseline - Known hypersensitivity to human serum albumin HSA 