Kidney Care UK are pleased to share that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have recommended two medicines for use in lupus nephritis and IgA nephropathy (IgAN), which both cause kidney disease.
New medication for IgAN in adults
The first recommendation is for a drug called targeted-release budesonide (Kinpeygo) for treating IgAN in adults. NICE has recommended it as a treatment option since 2023, but this review extends its use to people with a urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) of 90 mg/mmol or more or a protein excretion of 1.0 g/day or more. Previously it was recommended as an option for treatment in adults with a urine protein-to-creatinine ratio of 1.5g/g or more.
So many young people find this disease [IgAN] so destabilising as they take on life from employment to relationships and having families.
Guy Hill, a member of Kidney Care UK’s Patient Advisory Group, acted as a patient expert during the initial NICE appraisal. He said: “Targeted-release budesonide is a really exciting drug for IgAN sufferers, who have had no effective drugs before that can slow down the causation of extra IgA in the bloodstream that goes on to damage the kidney.
"IgAN is such a cruel disease with an average diagnosis age of 40. This means so many young people find this disease so destabilising as they take on life from employment to relationships and having families. To have a drug which can slow the decline of the disease is fantastic.”
New medication for lupus in adults
The second recommendation is for a drug called obinutuzumab (Gazyvaro). It is a recommended as an option to treat active class 3 or 4 (with or without class 5) lupus in adults, in combination with mcyophenolate mofetil.
Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Kidney Care UK, said: “We welcome the approval of obinutuzumab plus mycophenolate mofetil for the treatment of lupus nephritis. The Regency study found people who received this drug were less likely to have a deterioration in their kidney function by the end of the trial than those receiving a placebo.
"It’s encouraging to see more treatments for lupus, which affects many younger people and is a difficult condition, so we hope that lots of people with it are able to benefit from this approval soon.”
The final draft guidance has been sent to all groups involved in the appraisals who have 15 working days to consider whether they wish to appeal against it. Subject to any appeal by consultees, the guidance may be used as the basis for NICE's guidance on the use of the treatments in the NHS in England and Wales. Full details of the recommendations, including further eligibility criteria are available on NICE’s website.
We recommend you speak to your clinician if you have any questions about these treatments.