Diagnosis & Early Detection/September 17, 2026/2 min read

New Treatment Option for Type 1 Diabetes-Related Kidney Disease

The FDA has approved finerenone, a once-daily oral medication, for adults with chronic kidney disease linked to Type 1 diabetes. This is the first new treatment for this condition in more than 30 years.

News report — unverified, pending corroboration

Evidence label explains the kind of source behind this article (for example peer-reviewed literature vs community video). It is not medical advice.

diagnosisscreeningstaging

Key takeaways

Finerenone (Kerendia) is approved for chronic kidney disease in adults with Type 1 diabetes and works by reducing protein in urine, a sign of kidney stress
Clinical trial data showed a 22% reduction in the protein-to-creatinine ratio at 3 months and 28% reduction at 6 months compared to placebo
An estimated 20%-30% of people in the US with Type 1 diabetes also have chronic kidney disease
This approval marks the first new kidney disease treatment for Type 1 diabetes in over three decades

What Is Finerenone and How Does It Work?

Finerenone is a nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor agonist—a category of medication that targets a specific pathway involved in kidney damage. It comes as a once-daily oral tablet.

The medication works by reducing urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), which is a measure of protein leaking into the urine. High protein levels in urine can signal kidney damage and disease progression.

What the Clinical Evidence Shows

The FDA approval was based on results from the FINE-ONE trial, which included 242 adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with Type 1 diabetes.

Participants taking finerenone showed significant reductions in urine protein compared to those receiving placebo: a 22% decline by 3 months and a 28% decline by 6 months.

The approval decision also considered data from two large Type 2 diabetes kidney disease trials (FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD), which demonstrated that finerenone can help protect kidney function across diabetes types.

Why This Matters for Type 1 Diabetes

Chronic kidney disease affects a significant portion of the Type 1 diabetes community—approximately 20% to 30% of people with Type 1 diabetes in the US also have CKD.

The approval of finerenone provides a new treatment option for protecting kidney health. Experts note that the medication appears to work similarly in Type 1 diabetes as it does in Type 2 diabetes, offering hope for slowing kidney damage progression.

While this study demonstrates proof of concept, longer-term data on cardiovascular outcomes and eGFR (a measure of kidney filtering ability) over time are still being gathered.

What You Should Know

This is a treatment for people who already have chronic kidney disease associated with Type 1 diabetes, not a preventive medication for those without kidney disease.

If you have Type 1 diabetes and have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, talk with your healthcare provider about whether finerenone might be appropriate for you. This article is not medical advice, and your doctor can help determine if this treatment fits your individual situation.

Evidence label

Origin: medscape.com (News report). Evidence: News report — unverified, pending corroboration. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.

Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.

More evidence-labeled coverage across the Type1Cure library.