Phase IIa Trial to Determine the Effects of Bardoxolone Methyl on Renal Function in Patients With Diabetic Nephropathy

Bardoxolone methyl is an Antioxidant Inflammation Modulator in clinical development for inflammation and cancer-related indications that inhibits immune-mediated inflammation by restoring redox homeostasis in inflamed tissues. It induces the cytoprotective transcription factor Nrf2 and suppresses the activities of the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory transcription factors NF-kB and the STATs. In vivo, bardoxolone has demonstrated significant single agent anti-inflammatory activity in several animal models of inflammation such as renal damage in the cisplatin model and ischemia-reperfusion model of acute renal injury. In addition, significant reductions in serum creatinine have been observed in patients treated with bardoxolone. Based on these data, it is hypothesized that bardoxolone can improve renal function in patients with diabetic nephropathy through suppression of renal inflammation and improvement of glomerular filtration.