Experimental Drug Lowers Blood Pressure in Kidney Trial
Adults with chronic kidney disease saw meaningful blood pressure drops in an early study, though larger and longer trials are still needed.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Diabetes
Mineralys Therapeutics reported that its experimental drug lorundrostat significantly lowered blood pressure and urinary protein in a small Phase 2 trial of adults with chronic kidney disease. The Explore-CKD results were published in the medical journal Kidney International, and the trial enrolled 59 participants at 42 U.S. sites.
Why it matters
Chronic kidney disease affects an estimated 37 million U.S. adults, and high blood pressure is one of the main drivers of its progression, so a treatment that addresses both could matter for kidney health. The findings add to a growing effort to find therapies that protect kidney function alongside blood pressure control.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover Phase 2 study enrolled 59 participants at 42 U.S. sites, with an average age of 64.6 years and 76% having type 2 diabetes. Each treatment was given for four weeks, and the placebo-adjusted systolic blood pressure reduction of 7.5 mmHg met the trial's primary endpoint, though the study is small and short.
The players
Mineralys Therapeutics
A clinical-stage pharmaceutical company based in Radnor, Pennsylvania, developing treatments for hypertension and kidney disease.
The details
Lorundrostat works by inhibiting aldosterone synthase, the enzyme that produces aldosterone, a hormone that causes the kidneys to retain sodium and water and raises blood pressure. In the trial, serum aldosterone fell 41.5% while plasma renin activity rose 75.2%, consistent with the drug blocking this hormone pathway. Participants taking 25 milligrams once daily had an average systolic reduction from a baseline of 149 mmHg, and the urinary protein measure was used as a marker of kidney stress.
Timeline
Each treatment arm of the crossover trial lasted four weeks.
Results were published in Kidney International on November 3, 2026.
Health Landscape
Blood pressure control has long been central to slowing chronic kidney disease, but many patients still progress despite standard treatment. Aldosterone-targeting drugs represent a newer direction in the effort to address this gap.
If you have chronic kidney disease or high blood pressure, this early research is a reason to ask your doctor whether your blood pressure and kidney protein levels are being monitored closely. Because this drug is still in early testing, it is not yet available, and any treatment decisions should be made with your physician.
The takeaway
Early trial results suggest a new drug may lower blood pressure and reduce a marker of kidney stress in people with chronic kidney disease. Keep regular blood pressure and urine protein checkups on your calendar and discuss any new kidney-protective options with your physician.
Further reading
Explore more Diabetes coverage to see how kidney and blood pressure research connects to metabolic health.
