Clinical Trials

This study is designed to answer whether patients with progressive IgA nephropathy, who receive Acthar (ACTH) gel injection at a dose of 80 units subcutaneously twice weekly for 6 months is effective in inducing improvement in proteinuria and renal function.

Recent clinical success in the use of Rituximab in the treatment of Lupus nephritis and other forms immune complex glomerulonephritis has led to its investigation in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. Because IgA class antibodies have comparatively short half-lives and that deposition of polymeric forms of IgA contributes to glomerular injury, we speculate that the reduction of circulating IgA may reduce proteinuria and injury in patients with IgA nephropathy. Moreover, the absence of prospective trials in the treatment of IgA disease and the lack of consensus for long-term treatment, the superior side-effect profile of this form of therapy may lead to significant advances in the treatment of this prevalent from of glomerulonephritis.

The purpose of this study is to provide nephrologists with additional clinical evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of Acthar in subjects with treatment-resistant idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Approximately sixty (60) subjects will be randomized in this double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, multicenter study comparing Acthar and Placebo administered 2 times per week for a 24-week treatment period followed by a 24-week observation period. The primary objective of this study is to assess the proportion of treatment-resistant subjects (defined as subjects who either have had no response or have suffered a relapse after achieving a partial response to their most recent standard treatment regimen) who have a complete or partial remission of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome due to idiopathic membranous nephropathy after 24 weeks of treatment.

Will use of Rituximab reduce proteinuria over a 12 month period and will there be preservation of kidney function with the use of this study drug?

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Rituximab therapy is safe and effective in treating patients with the kidney condition, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), that is no longer responsive to traditional therapies.

The primary outcome of this study is to determine whether or not the B cell targeting with Rituximab is more effective than Cyclosporine in inducing long term remission of proteinuria.

The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effect of avacopan treatment on renal disease activity in patients with complement component 3 glomerulopathy (C3G).

This study is being done to see if daratumumab is safe and effective in the treatment of proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal immune deposits (PGNMID) and C3 glomerulopathy associated with monoclonal gammopathy (C3GN). This is an inflammatory disease in the kidney due to the production of abnormal proteins. There are no known standard effective treatments for patients with PGNMID and C3GN secondary to monoclonal gammopathy. These diseases are caused by abnormal production of proteins (monoclonals) by abnormal clones. Daratumamb has been shown to be effective in treating patients with multiple myeloma a disease which also caused by over production of monoclonal proteins from abnormal clones. Everyone in this study will receive daratumumab.

The purpose of this registry is to establish a database of patients diagnosed with minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy (MN), or immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), to advance the diagnosis and care of patients with glomerular diseases.

Minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and Membranous nephropathy (MN), generate an enormous individual and societal financial burden, accounting for approximately 12% of prevalent end stage renal disease (ESRD) cases (2005) at an annual cost in the US of more than $3 billion. However, the clinical classification of these diseases is widely believed to be inadequate by the scientific community. Given the poor understanding of MCD/FSGS and MN biology, it is not surprising that the available therapies are imperfect. The therapies lack a clear biological basis, and as many families have experienced, they are often not beneficial, and in fact may be significantly toxic. Given these observations, it is essential that research be conducted that address these serious obstacles to effectively caring for patients.

In response to a request for applications by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Rare Diseases (NIH, ORD) for the creation of Rare Disease Clinical Research Consortia, a number of affiliated universities joined together with The NephCure Foundation the NIDDK, the ORDR, and the University of Michigan in collaboration towards the establishment of a Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortium.

Through this consortium the investigators hope to understand the fundamental biology of these rare diseases and aim to bank long-term observational data and corresponding biological specimens for researchers to access and further enrich.