The European Commission (EC) has just given their stamp of approval to Jardiance® (empagliflozin) for the treatment of adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is a major development in care for more than 47 million CKD-sufferers worldwide, in addition to offering a promising way to reduce all-cause hospitalization for those affected while eventually alleviating the strain on healthcare systems.
But that’s not all that empagliflozin may achieve: with its existing applications in type 2 diabetes and heart failure, this new drug has the potential to help manage risk of other connected cardio-renal-metabolic conditions, afflicting over one billion people globally.
Today, we celebrate a momentous occasion in the fight against Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). This silent killer affects countless individuals worldwide, and prevention and early detection are vital for a meaningful increase in the quality of individuals’ lives.
Fortunately, with the recent introduction of a new treatment option, we can provide renewed hope and improved management of cardiorenal metabolic syndrome and renal disease. This progress allows us to take a leap forward in protecting those who are afflicted by CKD and bring us closer than ever before to finding a cure.
Empagliflozin has been granted approval by the European Commission, based on results from EMPA-KIDNEY – the largest and broadest dedicated SGLT2 inhibitor trial to date – which demonstrated a 28 percent reduction in relative risk of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death, and a 14 percent reduction in hospitalization for any cause compared to the placebo.
With chronic kidney disease doubling a person’s risk of hospitalization and being a global cause of death, 2 the potential for hospitalization is greatly reduced by this clinically significant reduction, as well as offering a welcome relief to the high costs associated with it in populations with CKD. Confirming its well-established safety profile, the overall safety data was generally consistent with previous findings.
Living with chronic kidney disease can have a drastic and often devastating impact on patients and their loved ones. But the effects of CKD don’t end there – the toll it takes on healthcare systems is considerable, with its high economic burden.
That’s why we at Boehringer Ingelheim are so excited at the approval of empagliflozin – it has the potential to be a real game-changer in helping patients, their physicians, and healthcare systems manage this complex, interconnected condition.
Empagliflozin, an innovative treatment option for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients, has been given the green light by Regulators globally, bringing optimism and hope to individuals around the world living with the condition.
CKD is closely intertwined with a variety of other cardiometabolic complications, such as type 2 diabetes and heart failure, making an integrated treatment approach essential. As the conversation with global Regulatory bodies continues, Lilly looks forward to making this innovative medication available to as many afflicted individuals as quickly as possible.