Great question — and the good news is that research in kidney disease treatment has been moving fast! There are several newer medications worth knowing about, particularly for specific types of CKD.
Here's a quick overview of some recently approved drugs:
- Budesonide (Tarpeyo) – FDA-approved for IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a Show Full Answer
Great question — and the good news is that research in kidney disease treatment has been moving fast! There are several newer medications worth knowing about, particularly for specific types of CKD.
Here's a quick overview of some recently approved drugs:
- Budesonide (Tarpeyo) – FDA-approved for IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a type of CKD
- Iptacopan (Fabhalta) – Approved in 2024 for IgAN, and expanded in 2025 to treat complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G)
- Sparsentan (Filspari) – Also approved in 2024 for IgAN
- Pegcetacoplan (Empaveli) – Approved in July 2025 for both C3G and a related rare kidney condition
These last two — iptacopan and pegcetacoplan — are called complement inhibitors, which work by blocking certain immune system proteins that can damage the kidney's filters. It's important to note that many of these newer drugs target specific types of CKD, so they may not apply to every newly diagnosed person.
For more general CKD management, doctors often still recommend:
- ACE inhibitors – To lower blood pressure and reduce protein in urine
- Immune-suppressing medications – For CKD types involving inflammation
- Diuretics – To reduce swelling
The best step is to talk with your healthcare team about your specific diagnosis. If you haven't already, asking whether you've been tested for specific rare kidney conditions could open up more targeted treatment options.
June 19
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