Empagliflozin, marketed as Jardiance®, is a medication that was already used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic heart failure, and in both cases it was financed by the health system in Spain. The Ministry of Health has now approved funding for empaglifozin for the treatment of adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as announced by the Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Alliance.
It is estimated that chronic kidney disease affects one in seven adults in Spain, reaching a prevalence of between 9 and 15%, according to data from the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG). CKD is asymptomatic in its initial phases, which is why two out of three patients have not been diagnosed, despite the fact that kidney dysfunction can be detected with two simple tests: a blood test that allows you to check the effectiveness with which The kidneys filter the blood, and a urine test to determine levels of albumin, such as creatinine.
CKD doubles the risk of hospitalization and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In Spain, caring for the most advanced stages of chronic kidney disease accounts for almost 3% of health expenditure in the public health system and 4% of specialized hospital care. Empaglifozin has been shown to reduce the risk of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death, as well as the risk of hospitalization from any cause.
Jardiance had already been recommended by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of adults with chronic kidney disease in the European Union, after a clinical trial that included 6,609 adults with CKD and a wide variety of underlying causes and comorbidities demonstrated “significant renal and cardiovascular benefit in adults with CKD, as it reduced the relative risk of kidney disease progression or death from cardiovascular causes by 28% compared to placebo.”
Improve the quality of life and prognosis of patients with kidney disease
The quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease decreases significantly in the advanced stages of the disease, mainly due to the symptoms they experience and the burden of treatments, such as dialysis. Depression affects up to a third of the general diagnosed kidney population and is more frequently diagnosed in people with advanced kidney disease.
“Early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease is an appropriate and cost-effective intervention for the National Health System. Although we are referring to a silent disease, we know the risk factors that increase the probability of its development. This early approach can reduce the risk of deterioration in kidney function, kidney failure and hospitalizations,” said Dr. José Luis Górriz, head of the Nephrology Service at the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia.
“We are proud to be able to expand this now-funded therapeutic alternative for adults with CKD at risk of progression. Hospitalizations account for one-third to one-half of total healthcare costs for people with CKD. Our primary commitment is to improve the quality of life of our patients, and now we provide them with an additional funded therapeutic option to address their chronic kidney disease,” said Oscar Ibarra, director of the metabolic cardiorenal diseases franchise at Boehringer Ingelheim.
“Early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease is an appropriate and cost-effective intervention because it can reduce the risk of deterioration of kidney function, kidney failure and hospitalizations”
“We are very satisfied to be able to offer this new funded therapeutic alternative for people with chronic kidney disease, which will allow them to improve their prognosis. This news is especially relevant due to the significant impact that the terminal phase has on the daily lives of those who suffer from it. To this end, early diagnosis, in the initial stages, is crucial to prevent the condition from progressing. With this new funded therapeutic option, we not only seek to improve the quality of life of patients, but also provide them with renewed hope and the possibility of a healthier future,” said Teresa Millán Rusillo, head of Corporate Affairs at Lilly.
“We are presented with the opportunity to enhance the early detection of chronic kidney disease and raise the quality of patient care from the first signs. This proactive approach enables us to address gaps in knowledge about CKD and promote a more effective response to emerging symptoms by healthcare professionals. By identifying it in its early stages, we can avoid delays in diagnosis, which in turn contributes to preserving kidney function,” concludes Dr. Flora López Simarro, Family Physician (Barcelona).
