The Future of CAR-T in Lupus Nephritis Treatment, With Brad Rovin, MD

The emergence of CAR-T cell therapy in lupus nephritis has generated significant excitement, but questions remain around how and when this intensive approach should be used. While early studies have focused on patients with refractory disease, the broader clinical vision may extend much earlier in the disease course, particularly as safety and feasibility continue to improve.

 at at the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) Conference in Yokohama, Japan, Brad Rovin, MD, said the current emphasis on refractory populations reflects regulatory caution, ensuring that higher-risk therapies are first tested in patients with limited alternatives. However, he suggests this approach may not fully capture the therapy’s potential.

Check out part 1 of the interview with Rovin 

Patients with longstanding, treatment-resistant disease often have accumulated, irreversible damage, which may limit the likelihood of achieving full recovery. In contrast, he envisions a future where CAR-T therapy could be used earlier, potentially at the time of diagnosis, to alter the disease trajectory before significant organ damage occurs.

He emphasizes that this shift could be particularly meaningful for the predominantly young patient population affected by lupus nephritis, as conventional treatment regimens often involve prolonged immunosuppression, multiple medications, and significant side effects, all of which can disrupt education, careers, and family planning. If CAR-T therapy can be delivered safely and efficiently, it may offer the possibility of durable remission with reduced long-term treatment burden.

Despite this promise, Rovin notes that logistical barriers remain. Current autologous CAR-T approaches require harvesting and engineering a patient’s own cells, a process that can take weeks and may necessitate holding background immunosuppression. This delay, along with the need for hospitalization, complicates real-world implementation. Looking ahead, he highlights the potential of allogeneic, “off-the-shelf” CAR-T products designed to evade immune rejection, which could streamline delivery and enable outpatient administration.

He also points to emerging alternatives, such as bispecific antibodies that engage T cells without requiring cell harvesting. While these agents may offer greater convenience, they still carry risks such as cytokine release syndrome and require careful evaluation.

Ultimately, he underscores that the future of CAR-T therapy will depend on advances in precision medicine. Identifying which patients are most likely to benefit and aligning treatment strategies with patient preferences will be critical. As the evidence base rapidly expands, he stresses the importance of shared decision-making and continued clinical investigation to define the optimal role of these therapies in lupus care.

Relevant disclosures for Rovin include Biogen, GSK, Genentech/Roche, BMS, Travere, Alexion, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Otsuka, Calliditis, and others.

 Allogeneic anti-CD19 CAR-T cells induce remission in refractory systemic lupus erythematosus. 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-025-01128-1

Hsieh EWY, Chung JB, Amin A, et al. Key considerations for advancing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a multi-partner/disciplinary working group perspective. 

https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2025-005866

Videos

CAR-T therapy in lupus may shift earlier in care, but challenges in access, logistics, and patient selection remain as the field moves toward precision treatment.

News

news page, resources on the topics of disease- and specialty-specific medical news and expert insight can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on health care research, treatment, and drug development.

Clinical

clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

Nephrology

The HCPLive nephrology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on kidney disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in nephrology, and more.

Conference

 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

Priya Verghese, MBBS (MD), MPH, is the Division Head of Pediatric Nephrology, and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital.

The Search for Answers in FSGS Recurrence, With Priya Verghase, MBBS (MD), MPH

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) remains one of the most challenging glomerular diseases in nephrology, particularly in the transplant setting. It represents a common cause of nephrotic syndrome, accounting for 40% of cases in adults and 20% in children.

While kidney transplantation offers patients with end-stage kidney disease a path forward, the risk of disease recurrence continues to undermine long-term graft survival and patient outcomes.

Despite decades of research, clinicians are still left navigating significant uncertainty when it comes to predicting, preventing, and treating recurrence. In an interview with 

 at at the World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) Conference in Yokohama, Japan, Priya Verghese, MBBS (MD), MPH, Division Head of Pediatric Nephrology, and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, stressed that the key issue begins with how FSGS itself is defined, emphasizing that FSGS is not a single disease, but rather a histopathologic pattern of injury that can arise from multiple underlying causes.

“Focal segmental glomerular sclerosis actually is a misnomer in my mind. FSGS is a description of the pathology in the kidney. It is the end result of any kidney that is damaged,” she said.

Verghese describes this distinction as critical, noting that secondary forms of FSGS driven by factors such as genetic mutations, metabolic disease, or chronic injury generally do not recur after transplant if the underlying cause is addressed. In contrast, primary FSGS, which is thought to involve a circulating permeability factor, carries a high risk of recurrence, yet remains poorly understood.

Verghese highlights that despite decades of investigation dating back to the 1970s, the field has yet to definitively identify the causative circulating factor. This gap has profound clinical implications, as clinicians cannot reliably predict which patients will progress to kidney failure, which will experience recurrence after transplant, or which therapies will be effective once recurrence occurs. As a result, management strategies are often empirical and variable.

Recent research has renewed interest in potential immune-mediated mechanisms, particularly the role of nephrin-targeting antibodies. While early findings suggested a possible association between these antibodies and recurrence, Verghese notes that subsequent data have been inconsistent. Questions remain regarding assay sensitivity, specificity, and whether these antibodies represent a causative factor or simply a biomarker in a subset of patients.

Sparsentan, a non-immunosuppressive, oral medication designed to directly target podocyte injury by optimally blocking the endothelin A receptor and the angiotensin II subtype 1 receptor, is currently being reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration as a potential first treatment for FSGS. Its previously assigned Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of January 13, 2026, was extended to April 13, 2026, following a request from the Agency for further characterization of sparsentan’s clinical benefit. Upon submission of responses, the FDA determined they constituted a Major Amendment to the sNDA, and extended the PDUFA action date accordingly.

Beyond biology, she underscores a critical barrier to progress: the difficulty of conducting rigorous clinical trials in rare diseases like FSGS. Efforts to evaluate preventive strategies, such as plasmapheresis with or without rituximab, have been hindered by poor enrollment. Verghese explains that both patients and clinicians often favor more aggressive treatment approaches over randomization, limiting the ability to generate high-quality evidence.

“I think with this type of a relatively rare glomerular disease, we need to galvanize the community to be very clear on what we know and what we don't know,” she said.

Looking ahead, Verghese stresses the need for greater collaboration across the nephrology community, including clinicians, researchers, and patients. Advancing the field will require not only scientific breakthroughs, but also more inclusive and pragmatic trial designs that align with real-world preferences and priorities.

Editors’ note: Verghese reports relevant disclosures with Boehringer Ingelheim, Memo Therapeutics, and Viracor.

Rout P, Hashmi MF, Baradhi KM. Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis. December 11, 2024. Accessed March 30, 2026. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532272/

Hillenbrand A. FDA Extends Sparsentan (Filspari) sNDA Review for Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis. January 13, 2026. Accessed March 30, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-extends-sparsentan-filspari-focal-segmental-glomerulosclerosis-snda-review

FSGS recurrence threatens transplant success, yet clinicians still lack reliable predictors, mechanisms, and effective prevention strategies.

Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

The HCPLive focal segmental glomerulosclerosis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on FSGS. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in FSGS, and more. 

Melinda Gooderham, MD, is a dermatologist and the medical director at the SKiN Centre for Dermatology.

Sustained PASI Responses Observed Through Week 60 with Zasocitinib, With Melinda Gooderham, MD

New late-breaking phase 3 data presented at the 

2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting

 suggest zasocitinib may help reshape the oral treatment landscape for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, with high skin clearance rates known historically to be the domain of biologics.

In an interview at the meeting, Melinda Gooderham, MD, medical director of the SKiN Centre for Dermatology in Ontario, Canada, walked through results from the LATITUDE trial program (NCT06671483). These were a pair of pivotal phase 3 studies assessing zasocitinib against both placebo and an active comparator, apremilast, long considered a standard oral agent.

“We've done really well for our psoriasis patients as far as having options to completely clear their skin,” Gooderham explained. “But in the past, there’s been a bit of a trade off with the oral agents…I see a new phase coming where the oral agents are providing the same level of efficacy and safety as we're seeing with the biologic agents.”

The studies’ co-primary endpoints centered on static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) 0/1, representing having clear or almost clear skin, and PASI 75 response at the 16-week mark. On the sPGA 0/1 measure, approximately 70% of those receiving zasocitinib attained clear or almost clear skin by Week 16. This was compared with roughly 30% in the apremilast arm and 10% in the placebo arm. These strong responses held through Week 24.

The depth of clearance was highlighted by Gooderham as especially compelling. By the 24-week mark, Gooderham et al found two-thirds of zasocitinib-treated individuals achieved PASI 90, and a third had attained complete skin clearance, or PASI 100, by Week 16, maintained through Week 24.

Gooderham and coauthors’ durability data added further weight to the findings. Beyond the 40-week mark, more than 90% of those treated with zasocitinib maintained clear or almost clear skin.

PASI 75 and PASI 90 responses were sustained through Week 60, directly addressing a longstanding question about the staying power of oral medications in the psoriasis management space. Gooderham contextualized these findings within a broader shift she sees underway in the field. 

"We finally will have a pill that can offer the same efficacy as a biologic," Gooderham said. "That will open up all options for our patients."

Gooderham and colleagues’ safety findings on zasocitinib were consistent with the established profile of the drug class, further supporting the treatment’s potential as a viable alternative for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

For additional information on the findings’ significance, view Gooderham’s interview video posted above.

Gooderham’s has previously reported non-financial support from Takeda in addition to personal fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Arcutis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Galderma, Incyte, Janssen, Leo Pharma, Meiji, Dermavant, Moonlake, Nektar, Nimbus, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Sun Pharma, Tarsus, Takeda, UCB, Union, Ventyx, and Apogee.

Gooderham M, et al. Once-daily oral zasocitinib demonstrates rapid and reproducible skin clearance with a consistent safety profile in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: results from two randomized phase 3 trials (LATITUDE-PsO-3001 and 3002). Presented at: 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 27-31, 2026; Denver, CO.

Gooderham M. New Topline Phase 3 Data on Zasocitinib in Psoriasis, With Melinda Gooderham, MD. HCPLive. January 10, 2026. Accessed March 29, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/new-topline-phase-3-data-zasocitinib-psoriasis-melinda-gooderham-md

New late-breaking phase 3 data suggest zasocitinib may help reshape the oral treatment landscape for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Plaque Psoriasis

The HCPLive plaque psoriasis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on psoriasis. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for psoriatic disease, and more.

William Fearon, MD, is a professor of medicine and the director of interventional cardiology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

FFR Angiography Noninferior to Pressure-Wire Strategy in CAD Analysis, With William Fearon, MD

Angiography-guided fractional flow reserve (FFR) is noninferior to a pressure-wire-guided strategy in patients with 

, according to data from the ALL-RISE study.

American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions 2026

 in New Orleans, Louisiana, by William Fearon, MD, professor of medicine and director of interventional cardiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Ajay Kirtane, MD, director of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care and professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Guidelines have long endorsed the invasive measurement of FFR or non-hyperemic pressure ratios (NHPRs) to improve clinical outcomes among patients with CAD. Despite this, the use of wire-based physiology is still low. The computation of physiologic indices derived from coronary angiography (FFRangio), however, does not require systemic anticoagulation, a pharmacologic hyperemic agent, a guiding catheter, or a coronary pressure wire.

“The key difference is that every time we bring a patient to the cath lab, we have to do an angiogram in order to see what’s going on,” Fearon told 

 in an exclusive interview. “Since you’re already doing that, the FFRangio is basically just using that information to calculate the FFR, and it takes an extra six minutes – I think that could be even quicker as people get more familiar with the system. But either way, that was significantly less time than it took to do a pressure wire measurement in the study.”

The Advancing Cath Lab Results with FFRangio Coronary Physiology Assessment (ALL-RISE) trial, a multicenter, international, randomized non-inferiority clinical outcome study, aimed to prove the FFRangio’s noninferiority to the pressure-wire-guided strategy. Patients were eligible if they had ≥1 intermediate coronary stenosis – those who were included were randomized to FFRangio via the CathWorks system or to wire-based FFR/NHPR assessment. After assessment, they were treated with medical therapy or percutaneous coronary intervention as indicated by the measurements.

The study’s primary outcome was a composite of death, myocardial infarction, or unplanned, clinically-indicated coronary revascularization at 1 year. Key secondary outcomes included procedural time, contrast media utilization, and fluoroscopy time.

A total of 4704 patients were screened for eligibility; 1930 were randomized, with 965 assigned to each arm. Mean participant age was 68.4 +/- 10.2 years, and the majority (90.6%) presented without elevated cardiac biomarkers. At baseline, most patients had a single lesion for assessment, and the left anterior descending artery contained this lesion in 49.6% of patients.

FFRangio assessment was successful in 98.5% of lesions, with a mean value of 0.81 +/- 0.12. 43% of measurements had an abnormal value, defined as ≤0.8. Pressure-wire-based physiological measurements were successful in 98.6% of lesions – of those, 55.5% were assessed with FFR and 44.5% with NHPR. Mean FFR value was 0.84 +/- 0.1, while the mean NHPR value was 0.89 +/- 0.11. Additionally, 37% of the lesions measured with pressure wire had an abnormal value.

The median time to calculate the assessment was 6 minutes in the FFRangio group and 8 minutes in the pressure-wire group, with a between-group difference of -2 minutes (95% CI, -3 to -2). PCI was performed in 44.3% of lesions assessed with FFRangio and 35.4% with a pressure wire (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.7). By 1 year, a primary endpoint event occurred in 64 patients in the FFRangio group and 65 patients in the pressure-wire group (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.7 to 1.39; 

 <.001 for noninferiority) with a difference of -0.2 percentage points. Additionally, investigators recorded no differences between groups for the incidence of bleeding, acute kidney injury, or procedure-related adverse events.

“This was a very positive study,” Fearon said. “I think that, given the benefits of shorter time, less contrast, and less radiation, there’s really no reason not to incorporate this into your daily practice.”

Editors’ Note: Fearon reports disclosures with Abbott Vascular, CathWorks, Medtronic, Heartflow, Edwards Lifesciences, Shockwave, and others.

Fearon W, Jeremias A, Leon B, et al. A Large-scale, Global Randomized Trial of Coronary Physiology Derived from Conventional Angiography Compared With an Invasive Pressure Wire-based Approach to Guide Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Abstract presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions 2026 in New Orleans, LA. March 28-30, 2026.

Fearon WF, Jeremias A, Witberg G, et al. Angiography-derived Fractional Flow Reserve to guide PCI. New England Journal of Medicine. Published online March 29, 2026. 

Fearon discusses results from the ALL-RISE trial, which demonstrated the FFRangio’s efficacy in assessing lesions for patients with coronary artery disease.

Cardiology

Cardiology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for heart disease and cardiovascular events, as well as associated diabetes, renal failure, and more...

Strategic Alliance Partnership

Welcome to The HCPFive, your go-to roundup for the latest healthcare news and breakthroughs, curated specifically for busy healthcare professionals.

Each week, we highlight 5 key developments or headlines from healthcare that you need to know—whether it's a cutting-edge treatment, regulatory updates, or innovations shaping the future of medicine. This week's top stories span 3 major medical meetings in simultaneous coverage—the 

American College of Cardiology (ACC) Annual Scientific Session

American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting

 in Yokohama, Japan—alongside a landmark regulatory decision in diabetes care. Coverage includes new mechanistic data on semaglutide's kidney protection, a nuanced phase 2 readout for tonlamarsen in resistant hypertension, one-year icotrokinra data in plaque psoriasis, REMODEL trial insights into how GLP-1 receptor agonists benefit the kidney at the cellular level, and the FDA's approval of the first once-weekly basal insulin. 

With The HCPFive, you'll get the essential takeaways to stay informed and ahead of the curve. Here's your quick dive into the top stories for the week of March 22, 2026—let's jump in!

Sustained Disease Reduction Observed at 1 Year of Icotrokinra in Psoriasis, With Linda Stein Gold, MD

New 52-week data from the ICONIC-ADVANCE 1, ICONIC-ADVANCE 2, and ICONIC-LEAD studies, presented at AAD 2026, showed that icotrokinra (Icotyde) achieved increasing rates of complete skin clearance through week 52 with no new safety signals, including in adolescents, where nearly 60% achieved completely clear skin at one year. These data, presented alongside icotrokinra's recent FDA approval as the first oral IL-23 receptor antagonist for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, reinforce the drug's durability profile and its potential role as a first-line systemic option.

Monthly Tonlamarsen Reduces Angiotensinogen, Shows Mixed Results for Blood Pressure

Phase 2 KARDINAL trial data presented at ACC.26 and simultaneously published in JACC showed that monthly tonlamarsen produced significantly greater reductions in plasma angiotensinogen than a single dose in adults with uncontrolled hypertension on multiple antihypertensives, but failed to demonstrate additional blood pressure lowering with continued monthly dosing. Lead author Luke Laffin, MD, of Cleveland Clinic attributed the mixed result to unexpectedly prolonged angiotensinogen suppression following a single dose, and called for future placebo-controlled trials without an active run-in design to better characterize the drug's true antihypertensive effect.

FDA Approves Awiqli (Insulin Icodec) as First Once-Weekly Basal Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes

The FDA approved Awiqli (insulin icodec-abae) as the first and only once-weekly basal insulin for adults with type 2 diabetes, offering an alternative to daily injections and reducing the annual injection burden from 365 to 52 doses per year. The approval was supported by the ONWARDS phase 3a clinical program, and the therapy is expected to launch nationally in the second half of 2026.

REMODEL: Mechanistic Insights Into Semaglutide in CKD, With Petter Bjornstad, MD

At WCN 2026 in Yokohama, Petter Bjornstad, MD, executive director of the UW Medicine Diabetes Institute and professor at the University of Washington, presented REMODEL as a first-of-its-kind phase 3 mechanistic trial integrating advanced MRI, kidney biopsy analysis, and biomarker profiling to clarify the biological basis of semaglutide's kidney-protective effects in patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD. Findings pointed to microvascular and endothelial improvements—including reduced renal vascular resistance and healthier endothelial gene expression at the glomerular filtration barrier—as central to semaglutide's cardiorenal benefits, with Bjornstad describing the trial design as a blueprint for future mechanistic studies in kidney disease.

APEX: Zumilokibart Shows Durable Response at 52 Weeks in Atopic Dermatitis

Positive 52-week maintenance data from Part A of the phase 2 APEX trial showed that zumilokibart demonstrated strong maintenance of response among week 16 responders and continued deepening of efficacy across lesion and itch endpoints in the full treated population, with both 3- and 6-month dosing regimens and no new safety signals. Apogee Therapeutics plans to initiate phase 3 trials in the second half of 2026 following anticipated Part B induction data in Q2, with a potential commercial launch targeted for 2029 pending regulatory outcomes.

Articles

Stay updated with the latest healthcare breakthroughs, including late breaking data from 3 conferences, in this week’s essential news roundup. 

Dermatology

The HCPLive dermatology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on skin disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for dermatologic conditions, and more.

The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 03/22

Patrick Campbell is the editorial director of HCPLive. Patrick has spent years spearheading coverage surrounding cardiometabolic health and rheumatic disease for MJH Life Sciences. Before joining MJH Life Sciences in 2019, he spent time as a beat reporter and/or multimedia specialist with the Pocono Record, Star News Group, and NJ Advance Media. He is the executive producer for multiple HCPLive podcasts, including Diabetes Dialogue, Don't Miss a Beat, Kidney Compass, Medical Ethics Unpacked, The Medical Sisterhood, and Skin of Color Savvy. 


Follow him on Twitter @RealPatCampbell or reach him via email at PCampbell@mjhlifesciences.com.

Results of the MOMENTUM trial suggest the prevalence of hypercortisolism in resistant hypertension could be greater than previous estimates have indicated.

Hypertension

The HCPLive hypertension page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on high blood pressure. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for hypertension, and more.

Type 2 Diabetes

MOMENTUM: Hypercortisolism Present in 1-in-4 with Resistant Hypertension

Navin Kapur, MD, is the director of the Acute Circulatory Support Program and associate director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Tufts Medical Center.

Although not statistically significant, the reduction represents a potential new pathway for treating patients with STEMI.

Structural Heart Disease

LV Unloading Before Delayed PCI Reduces Infarct Size by 1%, With Gregg Stone, MD, and Navin Kapur, MD

In this segment of his interview, Eichenfield highlights the safety and tolerability of roflumilast cream for infants with atopic dermatitis in INTEGUMENT-OLE.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis condition center page, audiences can find a variety of coverage mediums for medical news and updates, including articles, video interviews, podcasts, and breaking news on dermatitis research, treatment, and drug development.

Roflumilast Cream 0.05% Well Tolerated in Children with Eczema, With Lawrence Eichenfield, MD

This AAD interviews covers new, late-breaking findings on roflumilast cream 0.05% (Zoryve) in infants with mild‑to‑moderate atopic dermatitis.

New Data Support Roflumilast Cream in Infants with Eczema Over 4 Weeks, With Lawrence Eichenfield, MD

Victoria Johnson joined MJH Life Sciences in 2020 and has written for NeurologyLive, CGTLive, and is now an assistant managing editor for HCPLive and RheumatologyLive. She doesn’t have enough time for her numerous hobbies. You can reach her at vjohnson@mjhlifesciences.com.

The IMMpactful direct comparison provides prospective data in a moderate psoriasis population that previous MAICs could not fully capture.

Risankizumab Outperforms Deucravacitinib on Psoriasis Clearance Across Patient Subgroups in Phase 4 Head-to-Head Trial

Podcasts

Vlado Perkovic, MBBS, PhD, discusses APPLAUSE-IgAN data showing iptacopan reduced eGFR decline and lowered kidney event risk in IgA nephropathy.

IgA Nephropathy

The HCPLive Berger disease page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on IgA nephropathy. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in Berger disease, and more.

podcasts page features a feed of medical news and interview podcast series, including DocTalk, Lungcast, Derm Discussions, and Heart Trials.

Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials

Hosted by Brendon Neuen, MBBS, PhD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials is a regular podcast exploring and breaking down the latest updates and nuances of clinical trials in nephrology. By listening to Kidney Compass, you'll get the guidance you need to navigate the changing landscape of clinical trials across the spectrum of kidney disease. 

Kidney Compass: New 2-Year APPLAUSE-IgAN Data for Iptacopan at WCN 2026

Hiddo Heerspink, MD, PhD, highlights ASSIST trial data showing atrasentan reduced proteinuria by 25% on top of SGLT2 inhibitors in IgA nephropathy.

Kidney Compass: ASSIST Trial Shows Atrasentan Benefit on Top of SGLT2 Inhibitors

Swapnil Hiremath, MD, MPH, is a Staff Nephrologist at the Ottawa Hospital, a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, cross appointed to the School of Epidemiology and Public Heath at the University of Ottawa, and also an Associate Scientist in the Clinical Epidemiology Programme at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

Hypertension drives millions of preventable deaths, yet control lags globally. The HEARTS framework offers practical, scalable solutions to close this gap.

Bridging the Gap in Hypertension Care Delivery, With Swapnil Hiremath, MD, MPH

CAR-T therapy shows potential for deep, durable remission in lupus nephritis, but questions remain on safety, durability, and patient selection.

Can CAR-T Cell Therapy Transform Lupus Nephritis Care? With Brad Rovin, MD

A subgroup analysis of VESALIUS-CV suggests evolocumab could have a role in prevention of primary events in some high-risk patients.

Latest News

The Future of CAR-T in Lupus Nephritis Treatment, With Brad Rovin, MD

The Search for Answers in FSGS Recurrence, With Priya Verghase, MBBS (MD), MPH

Sustained PASI Responses Observed Through Week 60 with Zasocitinib, With Melinda Gooderham, MD

FFR Angiography Noninferior to Pressure-Wire Strategy in CAD Analysis, With William Fearon, MD

The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 03/22