George Bakris, MD: Finerenone Showing Promise Treating Type 2 Diabetes

Patients with type 2 diabetes can be at risk for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) or suffering from cardiovascular events, increasing the importance of drugs that can help with all 3 areas of disease.

Recently, researchers presented data showing finerenone reduced the risk of CKD progression, while also lowering the prevalence of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes.

In the past, short-term trials produced an association between administration of the nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist and reduction in albuminuria.

In the latest data, a team led by George Bakris, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, conducted a double-blind trial examining the effects of the treatment for a median follow-up of 2.6 years.

The data was part of the ongoing Finerenone in Reducing Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial, which will assess the drug’s cardiorenal efficacy and safety in populations with type 2 diabetes and less advanced chronic kidney disease.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Bakris explained the results of the study and why finerenone could be added to the list of beneficial treatments for type 2 diabetes patients

Although Bakris said it’s unlikely that finerenone will surpass the use of SGLT2 inhibitors for this patient population, the early results do warrant continued studies.