Recruiting

Testing a new medication for kidney inflammation from lupus

Plain-English translation of NCT05268289 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated July 2026 · Translation generated July 2026 · How we translate trials

Read our Lupus Nephritis research guide →

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This study is testing a new medication called iptacopan to see if it can help treat lupus nephritis—a serious kidney condition caused by lupus that damages the filtering units in your kidneys. You would take this medication along with the standard treatments you're already receiving. The research team wants to understand whether this treatment is safe, well-tolerated, and effective at improving kidney function and reducing kidney inflammation.

Lupus nephritis is difficult to treat, and many people don't respond well enough to current standard treatments alone. This medication works through a different pathway in the immune system, and researchers believe adding it to standard care might help more patients achieve better control of their kidney disease.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with lupus nephritis confirmed by kidney biopsy within the past 3 months
your kidney disease is currently active and your doctor has determined you need treatment with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive medications
you have a stable kidney function level (eGFR of at least 30) and have been vaccinated against certain serious bacterial infections
you are taking or willing to take standard lupus treatments including anti-malarial medications and blood pressure medications that protect the kidneys
this is your first time experiencing lupus nephritis or you are having a flare-up of a previous episode

You likely don't qualify if…

you have received cyclophosphamide within the past 3 months or other specific immunosuppressive drugs recently
your kidney function has declined very rapidly (more than 50% drop within 3 months)
your kidney biopsy shows extensive scarring or permanent damage that suggests your kidneys are unlikely to respond to treatment
you are taking high-dose corticosteroids for other conditions, or you've recently taken very high doses of corticosteroids
you have received very high-dose IV corticosteroid pulses recently

What participation looks like

You would be randomly assigned to receive either the new medication iptacopan plus your standard lupus kidney disease treatment, or a placebo (inactive pill) plus standard treatment. The study has two parts, and in the second part some participants may continue the medication while others switch. You would visit the clinic regularly for blood and urine tests to monitor your kidney function, and the research team would track how well the treatment is working and watch for any side effects. The study involves about 240 people across multiple medical centers.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jul 19, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(103 sites)

United States

AKDHC Medical Research ServicesLLC, Phoenix, Arizona

Kaiser Permanente Fontana, Fontana, California

Univ Calif Irvine, Irvine, California

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

Loma Linda University, San Bernardino, California