Miracle Drug?

[kellyt]

Tonight on our local news they talked about a new drug (so new it doesn't even have a name yet) that is "reversing kidney disease".  They are currently doing a study at the Diabetes and Glandular Disease Clinic of San Antonio (210) 615-5555.  They talked with a man who, like me, is pre-dialysis (he also has diabetes) but was very close to starting when he started their this study.  They didn't give specific numbers or anything but they did say the drug (white capsule) is doing what they hoped for and "reversing" the disease.  Apparently, they are still looking for study participants.

I don't have diabetes, but they didn't specify you had to be a diabetic to be in the study.  I'm thinking about asking my Neph about it.    What are your thoughts?

I used to work for an allergy and asthma research center so I know how the studies work.  Anyone here feel comfortable with research studies?


Here is the study info:


ID #: 615124 : Renal: To assess the effect of mild, moderate and severe Renal Impairment on study drug
  Study Medication:   Oral Pill
  Inclusion Criteria:   Males and Females;  Ages 18-79 years old with mild, moderate, severe Renal Impairment
  Study Length:   25 days/7 overnights
  Compensation:   up to $1,070.00

[flip]

I've always been a gambler and willing to try anything.

[Zach]

It might be BMP-7:

BMP-7, also known as Osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1), is
one of 15 currently known BMPs, which are structu-
rally and functionally related and which are part of the
transforming growth factor b (TGF-b) superfamily of
growth factors. BMP-7 was originally identi
ied as a regulator of cartilage and bone formation [2]. However,
BMPs have also been shown to regulate the growth,
differentiation, chemotaxis and apoptosis of various
cell types, including epithelial, mesenchymal, haemato-
poietic and neuronal cells.

But it may only work with a small number of causes of chronic kidney failure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eptotermin_alfa

[flip]

I'm very familiar with BMP-7 and have been watching the research. Currently the cost is too prohibitive to experiment on anything other than mice and rats.

[KICKSTART]

It would be fantastic if it worked , but i often wonder if we would ever get to see anything like this . I always imagine that if a cure was to be found we would never know or get it because of all the money people make out of our long ongoing treatment. I often think that there is probably a cure or better treatment out there we dont know about ,that is being withheld because of money!!!

[kellyt]

They said the drug didn't have a name yet, so I'm not sure.   But I'll find out when I talk to my Neph!

[donnia]

I have never heard of it Kellyt.  Would be awesome if it worked though!  I would have to wonder how participating in the trials would effect being on the transplant list... that would be my worry.

[kellyt]

Didn't think about that, Donnia.   That's a really good question about the effects of being on "the list".

The gentleman they talked to on the news, who is currently on the trial, has been able to further delay diaysis due to the trial drug, but they didn't mention anything about "the list".   Again, that is a really good question!!!!      

[Neo]

very interesting I hope it has some good effects. Since im on dialysis its probably to late for me ut if you think theres a chance it could help you try it..But be wary fo side effects

[stauffenberg]

In the mid-1990s it was discovered that a class of drugs called the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, usually abbreviated as ACE inhibitors, can not only reduce blood pressure in the body and specifically within the kidney, but also can slow, sometimes stop, and rarely reverse the progress of diabetic nephropathy.  A wide variety of subtypes of these medications exist (the one most patients will be familiar with is captopril), mainly because each drug company makes its own minor variation of the basic type in order to make money by establishing patent protection for its own drug, but some of the offshoots represent genuine progress over the basic type.  The general clinical experience with these drugs has been disappointing, however, since while they can slow the progress of the disease, they rarely stop it entirely, and this has usually been ascribed to the intervention coming too late in the natural history of the disease. 

In the absence of any other information, my guess would be that this study has to do with testing yet another version of this existing type of medication.

[donnia]

I would like to know the answers too.  Please let us know what you find out kelly!

[kellyt]

At the very least I will find out more about the study and medication.

Thanks for all of your input.

My Neph started me on ACE inhibitors in the very beginning when I was diagnosed (the name of the medication I forget).  Anyway, they did not controll my BP at all so he eventually took me off of them after trying differnt dosages and such.