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a new medication to treat a rare form of kidney disease is expected to complete clinical trials later this year despite, representatives from chinook therapeutics said. the fda has suggested the company extend the endpoint of the stage iii clinical trial by three more months for further data collection.
iga nephropathy (igan) is a condition where buildup of the protein immunoglobulin a (iga) causes inflammation and subsequent damage to the delicate structure of the kidneys. this progressive condition affects roughly 1.29 out of 100,000 people annually in the us, and is believed to be impact 1.61/100,000 people per year in canada. as many as 50 per cent of igan patients will reach kidney failure.
in 2022, the chinook therapeutics attracted attention when they released data from their phase two trial for atrasentan. eleven subjects who received the medication during the non-blinded study had experienced an average of 54.7 per cent reduction in proteinuria after 24 weeks. (proteinuria is a condition in which protein leaks from the kidneys into the blood stream and an indicator of renal damage)
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iga is released when the body responds to infection, leading researchers to believe this form of neuropathy may be connected to the immune system.
there is currently no cure for igan, however, medications may slow the progression of these conditions. steroids, like methylprednisolone , may help maintain renal function, while blood pressure medications can reduce the amount of protein in the kidneys. last year, the fda granted accelerated approval for tarpeyo , a glucocorticosteroid , for adults at risk of rapid disease progression. filspari , a non-immunosuppressive therapy medication, was also granted accelerated approval by the fda in february 2023.
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not all treatment plans are successful, and some patients may require dialysis and/or a kidney transplant once the damage to the kidneys becomes too great to overcome. however, a transplant will not necessarily stop the build-up of iga, and a percentage of patients may again find themselves in kidney failure in the years after a successful transplant.
