New Drug Trial Shows Promise for Kidney Disease Patients Without Diabetes

The trial, known as FIND-CKD, tested finerenone — a drug that blocks a hormone receptor linked to kidney inflammation and scarring — in people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who had not been diagnosed with diabetes. CKD is a condition where the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste from the blood. Until now, finerenone had largely been studied in diabetic patients, making this trial a notable step for the wider CKD population.

The findings were published by the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world’s most established medical journals, alongside an editorial examining what mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism — the mechanism by which finerenone works, essentially blocking a hormone that can drive kidney damage — might mean for patients

CKD affects around 3 million people in the UK, according to NHS figures, and a significant proportion of those have no underlying diabetes. That makes research into non-diabetic CKD treatments especially relevant for patients and kidney specialists alike.

So what does this mean in practice? It’s early days. A journal publication is not the same as a licensed treatment, and patients should not adjust any medication without speaking to their GP or kidney specialist (nephrologist). The NHS has not yet issued guidance on finerenone for non-diabetic CKD, and any prescribing changes would follow review by the relevant medicines regulators.

Anyone concerned about their kidney health, or living with a CKD diagnosis, should speak to their GP in the first instance. For urgent health queries, NHS 111 is available by phone or online.

Key information

• Speak to your GP before making any changes to kidney-related medication
• NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day for non-emergency health concerns
• In an emergency, call 999