A Drug That Could Help Millions Preserve Kidney Function

The international FIND-CKD study has changed the situation. It involved 1,584 adults with chronic kidney disease and elevated levels of protein in their urine. Participants received either finerenone or a placebo in addition to standard therapy.

Over 2.5 years of follow-up, patients taking finerenone showed a significantly slower decline in kidney function (measured by eGFR). In addition, the risk of serious kidney events, hospitalization due to heart failure, and death from cardiovascular causes decreased by approximately 23%. The level of protein in the urine, an important marker of kidney damage, fell on average by more than 41%.

Finerenone has already demonstrated effectiveness in diabetic kidney disease. The new data expand its potential to patients without diabetes—who account for more than half of all CKD cases.

Sources:

1. Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen. "This drug could help millions keep their kidneys working longer." ScienceDaily (July 16, 2026).
2. Heerspink H.J.L. et al. "Finerenone in Persons with Chronic Kidney Disease without Diabetes." New England Journal of Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2604625.

Author: Maksim Aleksandrovich Erdyakov.