IgA nephropathy is the most common kidney inflammation worldwide, caused by deposits of IgA antibodies in the kidney's filtering units. Many people live with it for decades with minimal symptoms, while others progress to kidney failure. Treatment has historically meant blood pressure control and immune suppression, but new targeted therapies are changing that picture.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that block complement proteins driving kidney damage, medications that reduce IgA production in the gut, SGLT2 inhibitors borrowed from diabetes care, and anti-inflammatory agents targeting specific immune pathways. Several drugs have gained FDA approval in recent years, and researchers are working to identify which patients need aggressive treatment versus watchful waiting.
Complement inhibitors
Drugs blocking parts of the complement system — proteins that amplify inflammation — have shown they can slow kidney function decline. Iptacopan and danicopan target different complement proteins and are in advanced testing.
Gut-targeting therapies
Since much IgA production happens in gut-associated tissue, drugs like budesonide formulated to act in the intestine aim to reduce IgA antibody formation at the source. One formulation received approval in 2023.
SGLT2 inhibitors
These diabetes drugs protect kidneys through multiple mechanisms and are being studied specifically in IgA nephropathy. Early data suggest benefit even in people without diabetes.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on protein levels in urine, kidney function measured by eGFR, biopsy confirmation of IgA deposits, and whether you've tried standard treatments like ACE inhibitors or ARBs.
What types of trials are currently open
- Treatment trials — Testing complement inhibitors, gut-targeted drugs, and other medications to see if they slow kidney function loss better than standard care.
- Combination therapy trials — Studying whether pairing new drugs with SGLT2 inhibitors or immune suppressants provides better kidney protection than single drugs.
- Biomarker studies — Testing blood and urine markers to predict who will progress quickly and who might not need treatment beyond blood pressure control.
- Long-term registry studies — Following people with IgA nephropathy for years to understand the disease course and how different treatments perform over time.
Recently added Iga Nephropathy trials
Take a daily pill to treat protein in urine from kidney disease
This is a Phase II, multicenter, open-label study. Eligible subjects who have completed the HSK39297-202 study will be enrolled.Starting dose is 200 mg QD.Dose may be increased to 300 mg QD after 8-12 weeks of stable 200 mg QD therapy if 24-h urine protein excretion (UPE) remains \>1 g/24 h and no Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) occur.After the treatment period, subjects will enter the 4-week safety follow-up period.
Take twice-daily capsules to target immune pathways in kidney disease
This is a Phase 1b/2, open-label, multi-center study evaluating the therapeutic potential and safety of the investigational drug EVER001 in adults with FSGS, MCD, or IgAN. EVER001 acts on multiple immune pathways without directly affecting T cells or depleting B cells (both are lymphocytes). The study will be conducted at \~30 centers in China, enrolling 45 participants aged 18-75 years (15 per indication). The IMP is a 100 mg oral capsule, dosed at 200 mg twice daily (2 capsules per dose, 4 daily) for 52 weeks.
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