New option for proteinuric CKD now on the PBS
For optimum impact, the agent needs to be initiated early while kidney function is relatively preserved, a specialist says
The first new treatment in more than 20 years for chronic kidney disease — the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin — is now government subsidised for patients with or without diabetes.
The PBS listing on 1 September comes 12 months after the TGA approved the drug for use in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 2-4 and a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio of at least 30mg/g.
Dapagliflozin is already subsidised for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in combination with standard therapy and as a second-line treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Leading nephrologist Professor Carol Pollock said the expanded listing provided clinicians with a powerful new tool for treating proteinuric CKD regardless of their diabetes status.
