The SGLT-2 inhibitor is the first new funding for proteinuric chronic kidney disease in decades.
Dapagliflozin (Forxiga, AstraZeneca) will be PBS-listed for chronic kidney disease, from 1 September.
This is the first drug targeting proteinuric chronic kidney disease to be government funded in two decades.
The decision follows a growing body of evidence showing the significant benefits of dapagliflozin in improving renal function. The drug is already used to treat heart failure and diabetes, which often occur concurrently with chronic kidney disease.
Patients are eligible if they have chronic kidney disease stage 2, 3 or 4 and have a urine ACR greater than or equal to 30mg/g. Dapagliflozin is contraindicated in patients undergoing renal replacement therapy, which includes either being on dialysis or undergoing a kidney transplant.
The oral medication works by blocking the sodium glucose co-transporter-2 protein in the kidney, ultimately slowing the decline in kidney function and minimising the requirement for dialysis.
Side effects include hypoglycaemia, cholesterol changes, genital infections and UTIs, back pain and headaches.
“Availability of treatment for proteinuric chronic kidney disease will not only help manage patients who have been diagnosed with the condition but improves awareness and leads to enhanced vigilance in monitoring at-risk patients,” Sydney GP Dr Kean-Seng Lim said in a statement. “GPs are uniquely placed to monitor patients during regular visits and, if needed, can act quickly when the need arises,”
Recent statistics suggest that approximately 10% of the Australian adult population are affected by chronic kidney disease, with one in three exhibiting risk factors. The silent nature of the disease can be particularly deadly – affected individuals can lose up to 90% of their kidney function before visible symptoms are detected.
