Kidney Disease Rx Found Safe for Heart

Pyridorin from NephroGenex did not pose cardiac risks in diabetic nephropathy patients

(RxWiki News) A new medication for diabetic nephropathy might be safe for the heart when others are not.

The medication, Pyridorin (pyridoxamine dihydrochloride) from NephroGenex, appeared effective and safe for the heart in a study of patients with diabetic nephropathy, reports NephroGenex. According to the company, other treatments in development may pose heart risks in these patients.

“The overall excellent safety profile we are continuing to see, along with the promising efficacy shown in our Phase 2 trials, continues to suggest that Pyridorin has the potential to broadly address the unmet therapeutic needs of the more than 6 million diabetic patients with kidney disease,” said NephroGenex CEO Pierre Legault in a press release.

Diabetic nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease that results from diabetes and is often seen along with heart disease. Untreated, it can lead to kidney failure.

Pyridorin works by treating the underlying cause of diabetic nephropathy, rather than its symptoms, reports Reuters. In a recent study of the medication, it appeared to be effective without raising the risk of heart problems — unlike similar treatments in development.

This study found that patients tolerated Pyridorin well.

Review Date: 
December 31, 2014