FT011 Prevents scarring in the glomerulus (filtering units) of rats with diabetic kidney disease.

Disease Characteristics

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a microvascular complication which arises in approximately 30% of diabetics. According to the International Diabetic Foundation, over 194 million people worldwide have diabetes, and of these, more than 57 million experience DN as a complication. DN is a chronic disease whose progression is characterised by a reduction in the ability of the kidney to filter waste from the blood, ultimately leading to kidney failure and death.

As diabetic nephropathy develops, the rate at which the blood is filtered, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), increases initially (known as hyperfiltration), and small amounts of protein appear in the urine (known as microalbuminuria). Disease progression, under the influence of high glucose levels and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), results in structural changes in the glomerulus and surrounding tissue, leading to glomerulosclerosis, mesangial expansion, basement membrane thickening, and increased extracellular matrix (ECM). All of these structural changes result in an increase in albuminuria, a reduction in GFR, and concomitant reduction in kidney function, to the point where kidney failure ensues and the patient must undergo dialysis or kidney transplantation.