The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the PKD Foundation have launched two treatment trials for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The common inherited disorder is characterized by cysts in the kidneys and other organs, high blood pressure, and aneurysms (bulges in blood vessels, which may burst) in the brain.
Symptoms usually appear between the ages of 30 and 40 and include back and side pain and headaches. About half of ADPKD patients eventually develop kidney failure and require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
‘Decades of clinical and basic studies by NIH and others have delivered this exciting opportunity for translational research,’ says Catherine M. Meyers, M.D., a kidney specialist who directs HALT-PKD at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). ‘Naturally, we appreciate the PKD Foundation’s invaluable guidance and support.’