Q2 2026 Recap: Nephrology News & Updates

The second quarter of 2026 brought continued momentum across nephrology, from landmark regulatory decisions and pivotal phase 3 trial results to advances in precision medicine and evolving approaches to chronic kidney disease (CKD) management. The quarter featured the first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), encouraging long-term data in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and growing emphasis on earlier intervention and individualized care.

Here are 7 of the biggest nephrology stories from April through June:

FDA Approves Sparsentan for FSGS

On April 13, 2026, the FDA granted full approval to sparsentan for the treatment of FSGS, marking the first approved therapy specifically indicated for the rare glomerular disease. Supported by data from the phase 3 DUPLEX and phase 2 DUET trials, the approval represents a landmark moment for patients and clinicians after decades of reliance on supportive care and off-label immunosuppression.

APPLAUSE-IgAN: Iptacopan Slows Kidney Function Decline

Final 2-year results from the phase 3 APPLAUSE-IgAN trial showed iptacopan reduced the rate of eGFR decline by 49.3% compared with placebo while lowering the risk of kidney failure events by 43%. The findings add to growing evidence supporting complement inhibition as a disease-modifying strategy in IgAN.

FDA Grants Priority Review to Finerenone for Type 1 Diabetes and CKD

Based on positive results from the phase 3 FINE-ONE trial, on May 21, 2026, the FDA accepted Bayer's supplemental New Drug Application and granted Priority Review for finerenone in adults with type 1 diabetes and CKD. If approved, the indication would expand treatment options for a population with limited therapies to slow kidney disease progression.

9-Protein Plasma Score Predicts Kidney Failure Risk in APOL1 High-Risk Individuals

Investigators developed and validated a plasma proteomic risk score capable of identifying APOL1 high-risk individuals most likely to progress to kidney failure years before declines in eGFR or increases in albuminuria become apparent. The findings highlight the growing role of biomarkers in earlier risk stratification and precision nephrology.

Rituximab Lowers Relapse Risk in TURING Trial

Late-breaking data from the TURING trial presented at ERA 2026 showed rituximab significantly reduced relapse risk in adults with minimal change disease and FSGS. The prospective findings strengthen evidence supporting rituximab as a treatment option for primary glomerular diseases.

IgAN Enters the "Mechanism-First Era"

To mark IgAN Awareness Day, HCPLive spoke with leading nephrologists about how advances in disease-modifying therapies are reshaping the management of IgAN. Experts discussed earlier diagnosis, evolving treatment sequencing, biomarker development, and a changing definition of remission as the field moves beyond supportive care alone.

The Pillared Approach Continues to Reshape CKD Care

Speaking with HCPLive, Katherine Tuttle discussed how a "pillared approach" to CKD management, integrating RAAS inhibition, SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, is shifting clinical practice from treating individual risk factors to comprehensively slowing kidney disease progression while reducing cardiovascular risk.