Bayer progresses development of heart failure/DKD drug finerenone

German pharma major Bayer (BAYN: DE) is expanding he clinical development program for its novel, oral, non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) finerenone (BAY 94-8862) with three Phase III studies, in moves to help fulfil the company’s ambitions in the cardiovascular arena.

The studies will investigate the efficacy and safety of finerenone in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) with the first patients expected to be enrolled by the year-end. Despite recent advances, chronic heart failure is still a deadly disease with five-years survival rates similar to those of patients with advanced cancer. Diabetic kidney disease is a common complication of diabetes and the most frequent cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Western countries. Diabetes causes more than 40% of new cases of ESRD. Surprisingly, Bayer’s shares fell 3.56% to 116.65 euros in morning trading today, albeit in a declining overall German stock market.

“The data we have seen for finerenone to date across the clinical development program make us very confident to move finerenone forward into Phase III across two important indications of high unmet medical need,” said Joerg Moeller, a member of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and head of global development.

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