Invokana trials stopped early due to significant success

According to Johnson and Johnson, around 50% of type 2 diabetes sufferers are at risk of developing chronic kidney disease, requiring dialysis or transplantation. The CRENDENCE trial of their SGLT2 inhibitor Invokana (canagliflozin) compared their product with placebo in type 2 diabetics with established chronic kidney disease in addition to standard therapy. The study showed that Invokana reduced the risk of patients later developing end-stage kidney disease so significantly that the trial was stopped early. If J&J get approval for Invokana from regulators, this will be a 15 year breakthrough to find a new drug capable of slowing the development of kidney damage in diabetics.

Vlado Perkovic, co-chair of the trial’s steering committee, said: “This huge unmet need is why it was so important for us to initiate the landmark CREDENCE renal outcomes trial over four years ago. We have accepted the advice of the independent data monitoring committee to stop the CREDENCE trial early due to demonstration of efficacy, and look forward to sharing the findings as soon as possible.”