NICE has announced a new appraisal of the SGLT2 inhibitor, canagliflozin, to consider recommending it for the treatment of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
The announcement follows release of a new analysis of the CREDENCE trial data at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions in San Francisco last month. This showed that canagliflozin significantly reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events and kidney failure in type 2 diabetes patients with chronic kidney disease, with and without known cardiovascular disease (CVD).
The topic has been prioritised because it is anticipated that it ‘will be of importance to patients, carers, professionals, commissioners and the health of the public to ensure clinical benefit is realised’.
CREDENCE showed that canagliflozin reduced the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke by 32% in patients with no history of CVD, and by 15% in those with a history of coronary, cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular disease. Canagliflozin also reduced the risk of end stage kidney disease by 31% and 33% in the primary and secondary prevention groups, respectively.
‘Cardiovascular disease and kidney disease are two serious complications of type 2 diabetes that may shorten life expectancy by several years. This latest analysis of the CREDENCE study demonstrates that for patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, canagliflozin reduces the risk of a cardiovascular event, whether or not patients have already experienced one,’ said Professor David Wheeler, Professor of Kidney Medicine at University College London, UK and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation.
It is estimated that 80% of the £10bn annual NHS expenditure on type 2 diabetes is spent on managing the complications of the disease, including cardiovascular and diabetic kidney disease.
