Bayer’s new drug claims to reduce kidney failure risk in diabetics

• Global pharma company Bayer launches Finerenone, which is a drug to treat patients with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes.
• It acts by blocking mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) overactivation – which is thought to contribute to chronic kidney disease progression and cardiovascular damage.
• A recent report by Indian Chronic Kidney Disease (ICKD) revealed that diabetes is the leading cause behind chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease in India.

Bayer Pharma has launched Finerenone, a drug to treat patients with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes, in India.

Finerenone is a non-steroidal selective mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist, and differs from existing treatments for the condition, the company said. It acts by blocking MR overactivation – which is thought to contribute to chronic kidney disease progression and cardiovascular damage.

“The major focus of therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes is to prevent end-stage renal disease or kidney failure. Despite therapy, these patients often progress to kidney failure. Finerenone, therefore, offers a new treatment approach for these vulnerable patients to slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease and reduce the risk of kidney failure,” said Manoj Saxena, managing director, Bayer Zydus Pharma.

The pivotal final stage clinical trial of Finerenone involved more than 13,000 patients globally, the company said

As per the approval in India, Finerenone reduces the risk of sustained eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) decline – a measure of kidney functioning.

It also reduces the risk of end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and hospitalisation for heart failure in adult patients with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes, the company said.

An Indian government-funded Indian Chronic Kidney Disease (ICKD) study revealed that diabetes is the leading cause behind chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease in India. Over 40% of all patients with diabetes develop chronic kidney disease.

The report further says that 74 million people suffer from diabetes in India and this is predicted to increase to 93 million by 2030, making it an epidemic. After China, India has the highest number of diabetic patients in the world.

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