Projects

Background: Finerenone, a selective nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) both reduce chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and improve kidney/cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. The CONFIDENCE (COmbinatioN effect of FInerenone anD EmpaglifloziN in participants with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes using a UACR Endpoint) study (NCT05254002; EudraCT 2021-003037-11) hypothesis is that early combination of finerenone and empagliflozin, an SGLT2i, is superior to either drug alone in reducing urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) over 6 months.

Methods: CONFIDENCE is an ongoing, fully enrolled, randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicentre phase 2 clinical trial in adults (≥18 years of age) with CKD and type 2 diabetes (T2D), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30-90 mL/min/1.73 m2 and UACR of ≥100 to <5000 mg/g. Participants taking the clinically maximum tolerated dose of a renin-angiotensin system inhibitor for >1 month at screening were eligible. Participants were randomized 1:1:1 to once-daily finerenone plus empagliflozin, finerenone plus placebo, or empagliflozin plus placebo; doses were 10 mg once daily for empagliflozin and 10 or 20 mg once daily for finerenone, depending on eGFR at baseline. Randomization was stratified by eGFR (<60 or ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and UACR (≤850 or >850 mg/g). The primary efficacy outcome is the relative change in UACR from baseline at Day 180.