Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are part of clinical research and are at the heart of all medical discoveries. Your voluntary participation in a clinical trial may lead to new and better treatment for kidney disease in near future.

Nephrologists (kidney doctors) at UT Health San Antonio conduct clinical research trials. To learn more about how you can participate in one of the following clinical research trials, please call at 210-358-7447:

Active clinical trials at The Center for Precision Medicine and UT Nephrology:

ARTEMIS: Ravulizumab to Protect Patients With CKD From CSA-AKI and MAKE (ARTEMIS) (Sponsor: Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc)

The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of ravulizumab compared with placebo in reducing the risk of the clinical consequences of acute kidney injury at 90 days in adult participants with CKD who undergo non-emergent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

  • Known CKD for at least 90 days (CKD Stage 3A, 3B, or 4) with planned non-emergent sternotomy with CPB procedure.
  • 18 Years to 90 Years
  • Location: University Hospital

Principal Investigator: Ghassan Bandak, MD bandak@uthscsa.edu
Contact: 210 450 7305, Clinical Trials, Department of Medicine, UT Health
Enroll in trial

STUDY00000897: EMPA on urine adenine-creatinine ratio. (Sponsor: Investigator Initiated)

This study evaluates the effects of SGLT2i, or Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 inhibitors in reducing endogenous adenine in patients with CKD admitted to hospital with heart failure.

  • Known CKD (Stage 3A, 3B, or 4) and admission to hospital with heart failure
  • 18 Years to 75 Years
  • Location: University Hospital

Principal Investigator: Allen S. Anderson, MD
Contact: 210 450 8333, nath@uthscsa.edu

20210436HU: Metabolomic study in renal biopsy specimens (Sponsor: Investigator Initiated)

To establish a tissue interrogation site to employ untargeted and targeted spatial metabolomics and other basic analysis of tissues from renal biopsy to assess cellular metabolic states associated with healthy function, activation of disease, acute injury, chronic condition, and recovery.

  • Age: adults more than 18 years of age
  • Diagnosis: kidney pathology requiring biopsy
  • Location: UT clinics and University Hospital

Principal Investigator: Swetha R. Kanduri, MD
Contact: 210 450 8333, kanduri@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu

STUDY00001092: Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network. (Sponsor: University of Michigan)

The Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) is a multi-year, multi-site collaborative study that conducts clinical and translational research on Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), Minimal Change Disease (MCD), and Membranous Nephropathy (MN) that present as Nephrotic Syndrome (NS).

  • Age: adults more than 18 years of age
  • Diagnosis: glomerular disease requiring kidney biopsy
  • Location: Texas Diabetes Institute, UT Gateway Clinic, University Hospital

Principal Investigator: Swetha R. Kanduri, MD
Contact: 210 450 8333, kanduri@uthscsa.edu , nath@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

ZENITH High Proteinuria: A Phase III, Randomised, Multicentre, Double-blind Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Zibotentan/Dapagliflozin FDC Compared to Dapagliflozin Alone in Participants with Chronic Kidney Disease and High Proteinuria (Sponsor: Astra-Zeneca)

This is a Phase III, randomised, multicentre, double-blinded study to evaluate efficacy, safety and tolerability of treatment with zibotentan/dapagliflozin combination and dapagliflozin alone in chronic kidney disease patients with high proteinuria.

  • Age: 18 Years to 95 Years
  • Diagnosis: CKD, defined as eGFR ≥ 20 and < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 and UACR > 700 mg/g (> 79 mg/mmol) or UPCR > 1000 mg/g (> 113 mg/mmoL).
  • Location: Texas Diabetes Institute

Principal Investigator: Shweta Bansal, MD
Contact: 210 450 9097, bansals3@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu, polancoj@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

ZEUS: A Research Study to Look at How Ziltivekimab Works Compared to Placebo in People With Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease and Inflammation (Sponsor: NovoNordisk)

This study evaluates if ziltivekimab reduces the risk of having cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and inflammation.

  • 18 Years and older
  • Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between >= 15 and below 60 mL/min/1.73 m^2
  • Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) >= 200 milligrams per gram (mg/g) and eGFR >= 60 mL/min/1.73 m2
  • hs-CRP greater than or equal to 2 milligram per liter (mg/L)
  • Evidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)
  • Location: Texas Diabetes Institute

Principal Investigator: Shweta Bansal, MD
Contact: 210 450 9097, bansals3@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu, polancoj@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

REDEFINE 3: A Research Study to See the Effects of CagriSema in People Living With Diseases in the Heart and Blood Vessels. (Sponsor: NovoNordisk)

This study investigates the effects of CagriSema compared to placebo on cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease.

  • 55 Years and older
  • Established cardiovascular disease
  • Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D)
  • HbA1c 6.5%-10%
  • Location: Texas Diabetes Institute

Principal Investigator: Shweta Bansal, MD
Contact: 210 450 9097, bansals3@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu, polancoj@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

FIND-CKD: A Trial to Learn How Well Finerenone Works and How Safe it is in Adult Participants With Non-diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease (FIND-CKD) (Sponsor: Bayer)

This study evaluates if finerenone, a blocker of hormone aldosterone, helps to slow down the worsening of kidney function in participants with non-diabetic CKD compared to a placebo.

  • 18 Years and older
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) of ≥ 200 but ≤ 3500 mg/g and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 25 but < 90 mL/min/1.73m^2
  • K+ ≤ 4.8 mmol/L at screening
  • Location: Texas Diabetes Institute

Principal Investigator: Shweta Bansal, MD
Contact: 210 450 9097, bansals3@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu, polancoj@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

BRISK: Bupropion for Fatigue in End-stage Kidney Disease Patients on Hemodialysis. (Sponsor: Investigator Initiated)

  • 18 to 65 years
  • On hemodialysis for at least 3 months
  • Reports significant fatigue on dialysis days
  • Location: Dialysis Medical Center

Principal Investigator: Subrata Debnath, Ph.D.
Contact: 210 450 8333, nath@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

OASIS: Oral intradialytic amino acids supplementation to vitalize end-stage kidney disease patients on hemodialysis. (Sponsor: Investigator Initiated)

  • 18 to 65 years
  • On hemodialysis for at least 3 months
  • Reports significant fatigue on dialysis days
  • Location: Dialysis West

Principal Investigator: Subrata Debnath, Ph.D.
Contact: 210 450 8333, nath@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

Trial activation in progress:

ICAN: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Ravulizumab in Adult Participants with Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy (IgAN) (Sponsor: Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc)

  • 18 Years and older
  • Documentation of IgAN diagnosis established on kidney biopsy
  • eGFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m^2.
  • UPCR ≥ 0.75 g/g or UP ≥1 g/day.
  • Location: UT Gateway clinic

Principal Investigator: Karthik Kovvuru, MD
Contact: 210 450 8333, kovvuru@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

EASi-KIDENY: The Studies of Heart & Kidney Protection With BI 690517 in Combination With Empagliflozin. (Sponsor: Boehringer Ingelheim)

  • 18 Years and older
  • eGFR ≥20 <45 mL/min/1.73m²; or ≥45 <90 mL/min/1.73m² with urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) ≥200 mg/g (or protein-to-creatinine ratio ≥300 mg/g).
  • Not on Adosterone Synthase inhibitor (ASi) or Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist (MRA)
  • Location: Texas Diabetes Institute

Principal Investigator: Shweta Bansal, MD
Contact: 210 450 9097, bansals3@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu, polancoj@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial

POSIBIL6_ESKD: Combined Dose-Finding and CV Outcomes Study With CSL300 (Clazakizumab) in Adult Subjects With ESKD Undergoing Dialysis (Sponsor: CSL Behring)

  • Male or female at least 18 years of age
  • A diagnosis of ESKD undergoing maintenance dialysis for at least 12 weeks
  • Serum hs-CRP ≥ 2.0 mg/L
  • A diagnosis of diabetes mellitus
  • Location: Dialysis West

Principal Investigator: Shweta Bansal, MD
Contact: 210 450 9097, bansals3@uthscsa.edu, nath@uthscsa.edu, polancoj@uthscsa.edu
Enroll in trial