Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Data builds behind Bayer's Kerendia in kidney disease
Bayer's mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) Kerendia has hit the spot in another phase 3 trial that could extend its use as a treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The latest readout comes from the phase 3 FIND-CKD study, which investigated adding Kerendia (finerenone) to standard therapy for people with CKD, but without diabetes. The drug is already approved to treat CKD in diabetic patients, and last year also had its label extended to include some patients with heart failure.
Extending the label for Kerendia is a strategic priority for Bayer, which is relying on the drug and a handful of other new products to help it to weather the loss of patent protection and declining sales for anticoagulant Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and pressure on eye drug Eylea (aflibercept). It already ranks among the German group's fastest-growing new products, with sales up nearly 80% to around $936 million last year.
In the 1,500-subject FIND-CKD study, the addition of Kerendia to standard treatment resulted in a reduction in the rate of kidney function decline, measured by tracking estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) data, compared to placebo.
At the moment, only the top-line result is available, but Bayer said it will present full data from FIND-CKD at an upcoming scientific conference and plans to file to extend Kerendia's label based on the data.
CKD is a massive health issue worldwide, with around 850 million people living with the disease, of whom around half do not have diabetes, but develop kidney damage due to other causes, such as chronic high blood pressure – the second most common reason for kidney failure – and glomerulonephritis conditions like immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).
People with non-diabetic CKD are also at elevated risk of other complications, such as a fatal cardiovascular event, which occurs in this group with around 2.6 times the frequency of the general population.
"New treatments that can reduce kidney disease progression are needed to help improve the prognosis of these patients, who have a substantial risk for cardiovascular events and kidney failure, which can necessitate dialysis," said FIND-CKD co-chair Hiddo Heerspink, of the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands.
Worldwide, more than 3.5 million people with kidney failure are treated with dialysis, which is linked to a five-year survival rate of about 40%.
"The FIND-CKD results are encouraging because they show the benefits of finerenone in preserving kidney function in a dedicated study across several aetiologies of non-diabetic chronic kidney disease," he added.
Bayer has invested in a massive 10-study phase 3 programme for Kerendia – known as Firialta in some markets – and FIND-CKD is the fifth of these to show a positive result. The company has said it thinks the product can eventually bring in sales of more than $3 billion a year.
https://pharmaphorum.com/news/data-builds-behind-bayers-kerendia-kidney-disease
Iraq, Iran in talks over oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz
Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said on Tuesday that the government is in contact with Iran to allow some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as disruptions hit regional shipping.
The talks come after attacks on vessels off Iraq's coast during transfer operations, which raised concerns over export security. He also said that to offset the risks, Iraq is also working to resume exports through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline to Turkey, offering an alternative route for crude flows.
Iraq had already cut production sharply following the outbreak of war, reducing output to around 1.2 million barrels per day from about 4.3 million.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Iraq-Iran-in-talks-over-oil-tankers-in-Strait-of-Hormuz/65886296
Israel targets Iran's Larijani in overnight strikes
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out another wave of airstrikes in Iran overnight, with Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani (pictured) being one of the targets, The Times of Israel reported on Tuesday, citing Israeli officials. According to the report, it is unclear if Larijani was killed or injured in the attack.
"Last night, significant counter-terrorism achievements were also recorded that have the potential to affect the achievements of the campaign and the IDF's missions," the IDF's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said. "Among other things, senior officials involved in terrorist activity from Gaza and Judea and Samaria, who were hiding in a safe house, were thwarted in Tehran," he added.
Zamir also noted that the Israeli military is continuing its fight against Hezbollah and that it is expanding ground operations in Lebanon.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Israel-targets-Iran's-Larijani-in-overnight-strikes/65886519