Sparsentan 200mg tablets

BACKGROUND: Sparsentan, a novel, non-immunosuppressive, single-molecule, dual endothelin angiotensin receptor antagonist, significantly reduced proteinuria versus irbesartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, at 36 weeks (primary endpoint) in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy in the phase 3 PROTECT trial's previously reported interim analysis. Here, we report kidney function and outcomes over 110 weeks from the double-blind final analysis. METHODS: PROTECT, a double-blind, randomised, active-controlled, phase 3 study, was done across 134 clinical practice sites in 18 countries throughout the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Patients aged 18 years or older with biopsy-proven primary IgA nephropathy and proteinuria of at least 1·0 g per day despite maximised renin-angiotensin system inhibition for at least 12 weeks were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive sparsentan (target dose 400 mg oral sparsentan once daily) or irbesartan (target dose 300 mg oral irbesartan once daily) based on a permuted-block randomisation method. The primary endpoint was proteinuria change between treatment groups at 36 weeks. Secondary endpoints included rate of change (slope) of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), changes in proteinuria, a composite of kidney failure (confirmed 40% eGFR reduction, end-stage kidney disease, or all-cause mortality), and safety and tolerability up to 110 weeks from randomisation. Secondary efficacy outcomes were assessed in the full analysis set and safety was assessed in the safety set, both of which were defined as all patients who were randomly assigned and received at least one dose of randomly assigned study drug. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03762850. FINDINGS: per year, 95% CI -0·03 to 1·94; p=0·058). The significant reduction in proteinuria at 36 weeks with sparsentan was maintained throughout the study period; at 110 weeks, proteinuria, as determined by the change from baseline in urine protein-to-creatinine ratio, was 40% lower in the sparsentan group than in the irbesartan group (-42·8%, 95% CI -49·8 to -35·0, with sparsentan versus -4·4%, -15·8 to 8·7, with irbesartan; geometric least-squares mean ratio 0·60, 95% CI 0·50 to 0·72). The composite kidney failure endpoint was reached by 18 (9%) of 202 patients in the sparsentan group versus 26 (13%) of 202 patients in the irbesartan group (relative risk 0·7, 95% CI 0·4 to 1·2). Treatment-emergent adverse events were well balanced between sparsentan and irbesartan, with no new safety signals. INTERPRETATION: Over 110 weeks, treatment with sparsentan versus maximally titrated irbesartan in patients with IgA nephropathy resulted in significant reductions in proteinuria and preservation of kidney function. FUNDING: Travere Therapeutics.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Objective: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally, with its pathological mechanisms closely related to mucosal immune abnormalities and complement activation. Currently, there is no curative treatment. This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy differences of existing treatment regimens on clinical remission (CR), 24-h urinary protein excretion (24-h UPE), ESRD or kidney damage (KD) and adverse events (AEs) in IgAN, providing evidence-based support for optimizing stratified treatment strategies. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to February 20, 2025, including 57 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) covering 19 interventions. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were employed to assess binary variable (CR, ESRD or KD, AEs) using risk ratios (RR) and continuous variable (24-h UPE) using standardized mean differences (SMD), with interventions ranked based on the area under the cumulative ranking curve. Results: Clinical remission (26 RCTs included in the analysis): The CR for tonsillectomy combined with steroids pulse therapy (TSP) (RR = 8.23, 95% CI 4.11-16.45), anti-APRIL monoclonal antibody sibeprenlimab (RR = 10.00, 1.34-74.48), and steroids combined with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (STE + RASI) (RR = 5.03, 2.61-9.68) were significantly superior to placebo. Proteinuria control (36 studies assessing 24-h UPE): The BLyS/APRIL dual-target inhibitor telitacicept (SMD = -5.21, -7.55 to -2.87) and STE + RASI (SMD = -1.98, -3.15 to -0.82) significantly reduced 24-h UPE, outperforming the mycophenolate mofetil combined with steroids regimen (SMD = -0.97, -2.74 to 0.80). Renal endpoint events (26 studies analyzing ESKD or KD): STE + RASI reduced the risk of ESKD or KD by 98.1% (optimal SUCRA ranking), followed by the dual endothelin/angiotensin receptor antagonist sparsentan (82.6%). Safety (36 studies reporting adverse events): The complement inhibitor iptacopan (88.4%) and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) (85.4%) had the lowest incidence of adverse events, significantly better than immunosuppressive regimens. Conclusion: STE + RASI serves as a core therapeutic strategy for IgAN, significantly improving clinical remission rates, reducing the risk of ESRD or KD, and addressing proteinuria. Telitacicept, sparsentan, and TSP can be considered as enhanced options for specific phenotypic patients, while targeted ileal budesonide (Nefecon) has not demonstrated a significant renal protective advantage. Systematic review registration: CRD42023494801.

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Simultaneous inhibition of angiotensin II AT1 and endothelin ETA receptors has emerged as a promising approach for treatment of chronic progressive kidney disease. This therapeutic approach has been advanced by the introduction of sparsentan, the first dual AT1 and ETA receptor antagonist. Sparsentan is a single molecule with high affinity for both receptors. It is US Food and Drug Administration approved for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and is currently being developed as a treatment for rare kidney diseases, such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of sparsentan in these conditions. In parallel with clinical development, studies have been conducted to elucidate the mechanisms of action of sparsentan and its position in the context of published evidence characterizing the nephroprotective effects of dual ETA and AT1 receptor inhibition. This review summarizes this evidence, documenting beneficial anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and hemodynamic actions of sparsentan in the kidney and protective actions in glomerular endothelial cells, mesangial cells, the tubulointerstitium, and podocytes, thus providing the rationale for the use of sparsentan as therapy for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and IgAN and suggesting potential benefits in other renal diseases, such as Alport syndrome.

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BACKGROUND: The mechanism leading to the development of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) remains to be completely understood. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) as well as angiotensin II (AngII) promote glomerular injury, tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis leading to chronic kidney disease. Sparsentan, a dual endothelin angiotensin receptor antagonist, recently received accelerated approval in the USA for the reduction of proteinuria in adults with IgAN at high risk of disease progression. To elucidate the mechanisms by which sparsentan is efficacious in IgAN, we examined the effect of treatment in gddY mice, a spontaneous IgAN mouse model, versus the monoselective angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist, losartan, on the development of renal injury at doses resulting in similar blood pressure lowering. METHODS: Four-week-old gddY mice were given control chow, chow containing sparsentan or drinking water containing losartan until 12 or 20 weeks old. RESULTS: Remarkably, the albumin:creatine ratio (ACR) was attenuated more rapidly and to a greater extent in mice treated with sparsentan than those treated with losartan. The decrease in ACR from baseline after 4 weeks of treatment correlated with beneficial effects of sparsentan on glomerulosclerosis and protection of podocytes and glycocalyx after 16 weeks of treatment across treatment groups; thus, sparsentan treatment delayed development of renal injury to a greater extent than losartan. Expression of mRNA for ET-1, endothelin type A receptor and AT1R and proinflammatory genes was upregulated in 12-week-old gddY mice and was prevented by sparsentan and losartan to a comparable extent. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study, and in light of the results of the phase 3 PROTECT trial, provide a novel perspective and understanding of the mechanisms by which sparsentan has a beneficial renoprotective effect against IgAN compared with AT1R antagonism alone.

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Rationale and ObjectiveSparsentan is a novel, non-immunosuppressive, single-molecule, dual endothelin angiotensin receptor antagonist (DEARA) examined in the ongoing phase 2 DUET trial for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In the DUET 8-week double-blind period, sparsentan resulted in greater proteinuria reduction versus irbesartan. We report the long-term efficacy and safety of sparsentan during the open-label extension over more than 4 years.Study DesignPatients were examined from their first sparsentan dose (double-blind period or open-label extension) through 4.6 years.Setting and ParticipantsPatients with FSGS, excluding secondary FSGS.InterventionSparsentan (200, 400, and 800mg/day).OutcomesUrine protein/creatinine ratio (UP/C), FSGS partial remission endpoint (UP/C≤1.5g/g and >40% reduction from baseline), eGFR, and blood pressure approximately every 12 weeks. Treatment-emergent adverse events by year and cases/100 patient-years.Results109 patients were enrolled; 108 received ≥1 sparsentan dose; 103 entered the open-label extension (68 sparsentan, 35 irbesartan during double-blind period). Sparsentan was ongoing in 45/108 patients (41.7%); median time to treatment discontinuation was 3.9 years (95%CI, 2.6-5.2). Mean percent proteinuria reduction from baseline was sustained through follow-up. Achieving partial remission within 9 months of first sparsentan dose (52.8% of patients) versus not achieving (47.2%) was associated with significantly slower rate of eGFR decline over the entire treatment period (-2.70 vs -6.56, P=0.03) and in the first 2 years (-1.69 vs -6.46, P=0.03). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (>9 cases/100 patient-years) were headache, peripheral edema, upper respiratory infection, hyperkalemia, and hypotension. Peripheral edema and hypotension declined from year 1 (13.9% and 15.7% of patients, respectively) to ≤4% in years ≥2. There were no cases of heart failure and no patient deaths.LimitationsThe open-label extension does not include a comparison group.ConclusionsLong-term sparsentan treatment showed sustained proteinuria reduction and a consistent safety profile.

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The mechanisms by which deposited IgA1 immune complexes cause kidney injury during early phases of IgA nephropathy are poorly understood. We used an animal model we recently developed that involves IgA1-IgG immune complex injections and determined pathways related to the induced mesangioproliferative changes. Treatment with sparsentan, a dual inhibitor of endothelin type A and angiotensin II type 1 receptors, ameliorated the induced mesangioproliferative changes and the associated alterations in the expression of inflammatory genes and networks.

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