Protas, Oxford and Boehringer Ingelheim partner on major kidney disease trial

Protas is supporting a groundbreaking, multinational trial for people with chronic kidney disease.

The EASi-KIDNEY™ trial is being led by Oxford Population Health, and is assessing whether a novel drug developed by Boehringer Ingelheim could slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The first participants were recruited in Oxford, UK, at the end of August.

The trial is investigating whether the combination of vicadrostat (BI 680517) plus empagliflozin slows the progression of CKD, prevent hospitalisations for heart failure and lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, by comparison with empagliflozin alone.

The trial, which plans to involve around 11,000 participants across 15-20 countries worldwide, represents one of the most extensive efforts to address the challenges faced by those living with CKD.

EASi-KIDNEY™ will be the first trial to use the new clinical trial management platform developed by Protas called “Cantata”.

Protas was set up to facilitate the design and delivery of large-scale, high-quality clinical trials at low cost, and Cantata is a unique, end-to-end trial management system that supports that vision.

Prof Sir Martin Landray, Chief Executive Officer at Protas and Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Oxford Population Health, said:

“We developed Cantata to transform the way large-scale clinical trials are conducted.

“Our vision is to design and deliver trials that are simpler, more efficient and offer a better experience for both patients and clinicians.

“The EASi-KIDNEY™ trial is the first to benefit from this technology, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Oxford Population Health and Boehringer Ingelheim to support those affected by chronic kidney disease.”

This partnership with Oxford Population Health and trial sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim underscores Protas’ commitment to advancing clinical research and improving patient outcomes.

We look forward to the results of this trial, expected 2028/2029, and the potential impact they could have for the global CKD community.

For more information on EASi-KIDNEY™, visit the trial website.