Farxiga Shows Potential to Protect Millions of People with Chronic Kidney Disease
By Matthew Garza
By Matthew Garza and Rhea Teng
SGLT-2 inhibitor Farxiga shows impressive results from its latest clinical trial: it slows the loss of kidney function and reduces the risk of death in people with chronic kidney disease, with or without type 2 diabetes
In amazing news, Farxiga is found to be a very effective treatment for chronic kidney disease. Farxiga is an SGLT-2 inhibitor drug commonly used to lower glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. In a recent clinical trial (DAPA-CKD), Farxiga was used to treat people who had chronic kidney disease, with or without type 2 diabetes. The trial found that Farxiga slows the worsening of kidney function and is now the first medicine to significantly reduce the risk of death (from any cause) for people with chronic kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease is a serious health complication in which the kidneys cannot properly filter the fluids that normally pass through them. Chronic kidney disease affects about 37 million people in the United States and according to the American Kidney Fund, diabetes is the primary cause of chronic kidney disease. Read diaTribe’s article on chronic kidney disease and view our infographic on diabetes and kidney disease to learn how to support the health of your kidneys.
With these groundbreaking results from the DAPA-CKD trial, Farxiga is a hopeful sign for people with chronic kidney disease. Professor Hiddo Heerspink and Professor David Wheeler, co-chairs of the trial, said, “The DAPA-CKD trial has shown [Farxiga’s] potential as a long-awaited new treatment option for patients with chronic kidney disease. The data will be transformative for these patients.”
Farxiga has been in the news several times now for its positive results and protective benefits:
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In March, the DAPA-CKD trial was stopped early because the evidence from the trial was incredibly strong, showing that Farxiga prevents chronic kidney disease from getting worse – it was considered unethical to keep people with kidney disease in the control group of the trial.
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Last year, Farxiga was approved by the FDA for its protective heart benefits for people with type 2 diabetes.
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In May, Farxiga was approved for use in people with or without type 2 diabetes to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death for heart failure (in people with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, or HFrEF).
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The FDA recently granted a Fast Track designation to review Farxiga for reducing the risk of hospitalization for heart failure or death following a heart attack in people with or without diabetes – this could be hugely important because more than 7 million heart attacks are estimated each year globally.
To learn more SGLT-2 inhibitors, including their pros and cons, click here.
