Long-term treatment with the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin appears to slow the progression of kidney disease.

Dapagliflozin is a sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) because it inhibits glucose resorption, leading to better glycemic control. On the basis of general observations, it has been proposed that dapagliflozin may have other positive effects, including reduction of cardiovascular disease and related complications.

A multi-national, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IIIb trial –– initially supported by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb and currently by AstraZeneca alone –– is being conducted to evaluate the Dapagliflozin effect on cardiovascular events thrombolysis In myocardial infarction (DECLARE-TIMI 58).

Initial analysis of renal data suggests that long-term treatment with dapagliflozin does indeed have other positive impacts. The first sub-analysis of renal data indicates that the progression of kidney disease and renal death in patients with T2D is reduced by treatment with the SGLT2 inhibitor. The researchers observed a 47% reduction within the relative risk of kidney function decline, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or renal death (excluding cardiovascular death) compared with placebo after evaluating data from 17,160 patients with T2D and predominantly preserved renal function.