How AFFINITY Informs on Potential of Atrasentan, with Jonathan Barratt, MD, PhD

The management of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is in the midst of revolutionary change. Driven by advances in pathophysiology occurring over the course of the several decades, these changes have led to the emergence of several new pharmacotherapies within the pipeline. Now, with multiple fully approved therapies, the prognosis for patients is brighter than at any point in history.

In this video, which is the fifth in a 5-part series, Barratt discusses promising findings from the AFFINITY open-label study in IgA nephropathy, demonstrating that atrasentan effectively reduces proteinuria and sustains this reduction over 12 months while maintaining favorable GFR outcomes.

Additionally, he references a new subgroup analysis of the ALIGN study, presented by Hiddo Heerspink, PhD, PharmD, which indicates that the impact of atrasentan is consistent across predefined patient subgroups. Barratt emphasizes that these results underscore the potential of endothelin receptor antagonism in managing complications from immune complex deposition in IgA nephropathy. After years of disappointing trial outcomes with limited efficacy or high toxicity, the current wave of data is revealing positive efficacy, safety, and broad applicability, signaling a new era in therapeutic options for this condition.

Relevant disclosures of interest for Barratt included Argenx, Calliditas Therapeutics, Chinook Therapeutics, Galapagos NV, GSK, Novartis, and Travere Therapeutics.