AJKD: New therapy helps protect the kidneys of diabetics

December 10, 2020 // -- According to a recent study by the University of Limerick School of Medicine, specific therapies can help restore kidney function in people with diabetes.
new study found that combining two treatments to reduce uric acid concentrations in the blood could reduce the leakage of albumin in the urine, one of the earliest signs of kidney damage in diabetes.
UL researchers believe the findings could help prevent kidney failure in diabetics.
researchers at the University of Limerick School of Medicine and Limerick University Hospital, in collaboration with researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and AstraZeneta, found that a combination of Verinurad and Febuxostat reduced proteinuria in the urine of type 2 patients by 39.4 percent compared to placebo, and treated diabetes after 12 weeks.
(Photo: www.pixabay.com) The results of the Phase IIa clinical trial, sponsored by AstraZeneta, were recently published in the journal American Journal of Kidney Disease.
Verinurad is a new type of uric acid transport protein inhibitor (URAT1) that is currently being studied for the treatment of high uric acidemia and kidney disease.
is an effective, selective jaundice oxidase inhibitor used to reduce uric acid levels in patients with gout and high uric acidemia.
trial results showed that the drug combination reduced the leakage of proteins through the kidneys.
, lead author of the study, said: "The leak of protein is the earliest clinical sign of kidney damage.
results are very encouraging because they demonstrate a significant reduction in proteinuria and high uric acidemia in people with type 2 diabetes after a combined treatment of Verinurad and Febuxostat.
if we can intervene early, we are more likely to prevent patients from falling into kidney failure," he said.
findings offer hope to the 350 million people with type 2 diabetes worldwide who have an increased risk of kidney failure.
" In this multicenter randomized clinical trial, 60 patients with type 2 diabetes with elevated levels of proteinuria and uric acid were randomly assigned to Verinurad 9mg, Febuxostat 80mg or a placebo.
follow-up for 24 weeks.
reached the main end of the study, and after combining Verinurad and Febuxostat with a placebo within 12 weeks, albuminuria was reduced by 39 percent.
this effect lasted 24 weeks and the overall reduction of proteinuria was 49%.
treated patients also had a 57 percent reduction in uric acid levels at 12 weeks.
study showed that patients had good tolerance to both Verinurad and Febuxostat.
Stack said: "One of the earliest signs of kidney disease is the development of proteinuria (albumin seeping into urine), which recent studies have shown may be associated with high uric acid levels.
" work in this area raises the profile of uric acid as a potential risk factor for kidney and heart disease.
"a key goal in protecting kidney function is to reduce albuminuria in the urine, as high levels of patients are at risk of developing kidney failure."
the clinical trial aims to examine the effects of enhanced uric acid reduction strategies on albuminuria by using Verinurad in pairs with Febuxostat in patients with type 2 diabetes who have previously had proteinuria.
Although these are early clinical findings, our results suggest that combining Verinurad and Febuxostat with diabetes can lead to a rapid reduction in proteinuria for 24 weeks," Professor Stack added.
() Source: Research finds prodio treatment to protect kidney function in diabetes Original source: Austin G. Stack et al, Effect of Intensive Urate Lowering With Combined Verinurad and Febuxostat on Albuminuria in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomed Trial, American Journal of Kidney Diseases (2020).DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2020.09.009。