Testing a new medication to slow kidney disease in polycystic kidney patients

This trial is testing whether a medication called tirzepatide can help slow the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)—an inherited condition where cysts grow in the kidneys and eventually lead to kidney failure. The medication is already approved for helping people lose weight and improve their body's use of insulin, and researchers believe it might also protect kidney function in people with ADPKD. About 126 people will participate, with half receiving the medication and half receiving a placebo (inactive pill).

Currently, there is only one FDA-approved treatment that slows ADPKD progression, but it causes side effects that make many patients stop taking it. Researchers have discovered that people with ADPKD who are overweight or have trouble using insulin tend to have faster kidney disease progression, so this study is testing whether this medication—which addresses both weight and insulin sensitivity—might offer a better option.