Chronic Kidney Disease Clinical Trials

367 recruitingLast updated: June 17, 2026

There are 367 actively recruiting chronic kidney disease clinical trials across 77 countries. Studies span Not Applicable, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Phase 1, Early Phase 1. Top locations include Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, Dallas, Texas, United States, Chicago, Illinois, United States. Updated daily from ClinicalTrials.gov.


Chronic Kidney Disease Trials at a Glance

367 actively recruiting trials for chronic kidney disease are listed on ClinicalTrialsFinder across 6 cities in 77 countries. The largest study group is Not Applicable with 115 trials, with the heaviest enrollment activity in Beijing, Dallas, and Chicago. Lead sponsors running chronic kidney disease studies include AstraZeneca, Bayer, and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Browse chronic kidney disease trials by phase

Treatments under study

Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease Clinical Trials

Clinical trials have recently delivered some of the most significant advances in chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment in decades. The approval of finerenone (Kerendia) for CKD associated with type 2 diabetes, and the landmark results showing that SGLT2 inhibitors like dapagliflozin (Farxiga) slow kidney decline in patients with and without diabetes, both emerged directly from large-scale clinical trials. These drugs have fundamentally changed how nephrologists approach CKD management. For the roughly 37 million Americans estimated to have CKD, many of whom do not even know it, clinical trials represent the pipeline to treatments that could further slow progression, protect remaining kidney function, and potentially delay or prevent the need for dialysis or transplant.

Why Consider a Clinical Trial?

Despite recent advances, CKD remains a progressive disease with limited treatment options, especially in later stages. Standard care focuses on controlling blood pressure, managing diabetes if present, and slowing the rate of kidney function decline, but for many patients the disease still progresses to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), requiring dialysis or transplantation. Clinical trials are testing therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of kidney damage, including inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress, rather than simply managing risk factors. For people already on dialysis or approaching it, trials offer access to improved dialysis technologies, wearable or portable dialysis devices, and xenotransplantation (animal-to-human kidney transplant) research. If you have early-stage CKD, trials of novel kidney-protective agents could help preserve your kidney function for years longer than current standard care alone. Participation also provides access to specialized nephrology teams and more frequent monitoring of your kidney function, which can catch changes earlier than routine clinic visits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Chronic Kidney Disease clinical trials

Yes. There are clinical trials specifically designed for people on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. These studies test improvements to dialysis technology, new approaches to dialysis adequacy, and treatments for dialysis-related complications like anemia, bone disease, and cardiovascular risk. Some transplant-related trials also enroll dialysis patients.

Most kidney-protective drug trials focus on Stages 3 and 4 (eGFR 15-59), where intervention has the greatest potential to delay progression to dialysis. However, trials exist for all stages. Early-stage trials may focus on prevention, while Stage 5 trials often involve dialysis innovation or transplant research.

Drug interactions are carefully evaluated during the screening process. The research team will review all your current medications, including blood pressure drugs, diabetes medications, and any supplements. Many CKD trials are specifically designed to be used alongside standard medications like ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and SGLT2 inhibitors.

CKD trials include frequent blood and urine tests to track your eGFR, creatinine, potassium, and proteinuria levels. Monitoring is typically more frequent than routine clinic visits, often every 2 to 4 weeks during the early phase of the study. This close monitoring can actually be a benefit, as it may catch changes in kidney function earlier than standard care.

Yes. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an active area of clinical trial research. Studies are testing new therapies beyond tolvaptan, including drugs that target cyst growth pathways. Many PKD trials require imaging to measure total kidney volume as a primary outcome measure.

Showing 120 of 367 trials

Recruiting
Not Applicable

Implementation pRogram to Improve Screening and Management for CKD in Diabetes (Program 1) (IRIS-CKD)

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD)Type 2 DM
Duke University750 enrolled7 locationsNCT06906627
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Implementation pRogram to Improve Screening and Management for CKD in Diabetes (IRIS-CKD) (Program 2)

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD)Type 2 DM
Duke University420 enrolled7 locationsNCT06906640
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Pivotal Study of the Velocity™ pAVF System

Chronic Kidney DiseaseEnd Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)Hemodialysis Access+1 more
Venova Medical126 enrolled12 locationsNCT07153939
Recruiting

An Observational Study Called FINE-REAL Korea to Learn More About the Use of the Drug Finerenone in People With Chronic Kidney Disease and Type 2 Diabetes in a Routine Medical Care Setting in South Korea

Chronic Kidney DiseaseType 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Bayer500 enrolled1 locationNCT07232537
Recruiting

Reference Values for Lower-Limb Dynamometry in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (REHAD-CKD)

Chronic Kidney Disease on Hemodialysis
Cardenal Herrera University50 enrolled1 locationNCT07642778
Recruiting

Precision Medicine Approaches to Renal Osteodystrophy

Chronic Kidney DiseasesCkd-MbdSecondary Hyperparathyroidism+2 more
Thomas Nickolas40 enrolled1 locationNCT05880914
Recruiting
Phase 2

Safety and Tolerability of Difelikefalin in Adolescents on Haemodialysis With Moderate-to-Severe Pruritus

Chronic Kidney DiseasesPruritus
Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma18 enrolled16 locationsNCT06593392
Recruiting
Phase 3

A Study to Find Out How EMPAgliflozin is Tolerated and if it Helps Children and Adolescents With Chronic KIDNEY Disease (EMPA-KIDNEY® Kids)

Chronic Kidney Disease
Boehringer Ingelheim120 enrolled102 locationsNCT07107945
Recruiting
Early Phase 1

A Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of CTX001 in Healthy Adults.

Chronic Kidney DiseaseIron DeficienciesAnemia
Cajal Therapeutics Inc.72 enrolled1 locationNCT07577817
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Theory-based Health Behaviour Change Intervention in Patients of Metabolic Syndrome With Chronic Kidney Disease

Metabolic SyndromeChronic Kidney Diseases
Chinese University of Hong Kong40 enrolled1 locationNCT06527768
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Theory-based Health Behaviour Change Intervention in Individuals of Metabolic Syndrome With Chronic Kidney Disease

Metabolic SyndromeChronic Kidney Diseases
Chinese University of Hong Kong160 enrolled1 locationNCT06715735
Recruiting
Phase 2

A Study to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of AP306 at Fixed Doses in Dialysis Participants With Hyperphosphatemia

End Stage Renal Disease on DialysisHyperphosphatemiaChronic Kidney Disease Requiring Chronic Dialysis
R1 Therapeutics168 enrolled26 locationsNCT06712654
Recruiting
Phase 1

Adia Med of Winter Park LLC Chronic Kidney Disease Research Study

Kidney Disease, ChronicChronic Kidney DiseaseKidney Disease+2 more
Adia Med of Winter Park LLC100 enrolled1 locationNCT07572890
Recruiting
Phase 1

A Study of ONO-3310 in Healthy Adult Male Subjects and Chronic Kidney Disease Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Chronic Kidney DiseaseType2 Diabetes Mellitus
Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.120 enrolled1 locationNCT07619157
Recruiting
Phase 4

Safety of Short-course of NSAIDs in Pediatric Patients With CKD

Chronic Kidney DiseasePediatric Urology
University of Colorado, Denver164 enrolled1 locationNCT06860711
Recruiting
Phase 3

A Study of Orforglipron (LY3502970) on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Adults With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and/or Chronic Kidney Disease (ATTAIN-Outcomes)

Chronic Kidney DiseaseAtherosclerosis Cardiovascular Disease
Eli Lilly and Company7,140 enrolled568 locationsNCT07241390
Recruiting
Not Applicable

Effects of Replacing High Protein Foods in People With Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3
Indiana University15 enrolled1 locationNCT07105670
Recruiting
Phase 2

Equol and Vascular Function in Women With Chronic Kidney Disease

Cerebrovascular functionBlood PressureCognitive Functions+2 more
University of Colorado, Denver74 enrolled1 locationNCT07194590
Recruiting
Phase 3

A Study to Learn More About How Safe the Study Treatment Finerenone is in Long-term Use When Taken With an ACE Inhibitor or Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Over 18 Months of Use in Children and Young Adults From 1 to 18 Years of Age With Chronic Kidney Disease and Proteinuria

Chronic Kidney DiseaseProteinuriaChildren
Bayer100 enrolled179 locationsNCT05457283
Recruiting

Impact of Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Implantation on Renal Function

Chronic Kidney DiseasesAortic Valve StenosisRenal Failure Acute Chronic
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS1,000 enrolled1 locationNCT07626710