SPARTAN Trial Updates, 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 second in a 5-part series, Barratt discusses updates from the UK-based SPARTAN study investigating the efficacy of sparsentan as a first-line therapy post-biopsy in RAS-naive individuals, with a strong focus on biomarker insights. The study incorporates repeat kidney biopsies, enabling in-depth biomarker analysis, including single nuclear RNA sequencing. Barratt notes that initial clinical data reveal substantial proteinuria reduction with sparsentan as an initial treatment, challenging the traditional sequence of RAS inhibitors followed by dual inhibition. Based on promising efficacy and tolerance, Barratt suggests that nephrology may eventually shift toward initiating treatment with dual inhibition to achieve optimized outcomes from the outset.

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