Inaxaplin Shows Promise in Addressing APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease Disparity in Black Americans
- A clinical trial of inaxaplin, a novel drug targeting the APOL1 protein, demonstrated a significant reduction in protein leakage in the urine of patients with serious kidney disease.
- The study focused exclusively on African American participants with APOL1 gene variants (G1 and G2) linked to a higher risk of renal failure, addressing a significant racial health disparity.
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals is conducting a larger Phase 2/3 trial to investigate inaxaplin's efficacy across multiple kidney disease types in individuals with two APOL1 gene variants.
- Insights into APOL1 may also refine kidney transplant policies by using APOL1 genotype instead of race to assess donor kidney viability, potentially increasing the number of available kidneys.