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RecruitingNCT04663204SPARTANUpdated Jun 3, 2026

A Study of the Safety and Activity of Sparsentan for the Treatment of Patients With Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy

A Phase 2 interventional study of Sparsentan in Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy, Kidney Diseases and Glomerulonephritis, IGA, sponsored by University of Leicester. Recruiting at 6 sites in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-03.

Sponsored by University of Leicester · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Dec 2020; still recruiting 5 years 11 months later.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
24
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

To determine the nephroprotective potential of treatment with sparsentan in (1: Cohort A) patients newly-diagnosed with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) (ie, incident patients) who have not received prior angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) therapy, and in (2: Cohort B) patients with recurrent IgAN following kidney transplantation.

Read the detailed description

This multi-centre, open-label trial will explore the safety of, and response to sparsentan treatment in adult patients with biopsy-proven immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).

In Cohort A, incident, renin angiotensin system (RAS) blockade-naïve patients will be included. The starting dose of sparsentan will be 200 mg/day, which will be titrated up to the target dose of 400 mg/day at Week 2. Patients who do not tolerate the target dose will have their dose reduced back to 200 or 100 mg/day; throughout the trial, patients will be maintained on the maximum allowed dose of sparsentan they can tolerate. All patients will be treated with sparsentan for a total of 110 weeks, followed by an off-treatment follow-up period of 4 weeks. Urinary protein excretion, estimated and measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR), Oxford Classification (MEST-C) for renal biopsies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for renal interstitial fibrosis and cardiac function, and bioimpedance spectroscopy for total body water will be assessed. Quality of Life (QOL) will also be assessed. Treatment with additional antihypertensive agents is permitted during the trial, with the exception of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), aldosterone blockers, aliskiren, or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Safety will be assessed by adverse events (AEs), clinical laboratory evaluations, and vital signs.

In Cohort B, patients with recurrent IgAN following kidney transplantation receiving stable standard of care (SOC) therapy, including standard immunosuppressive therapy (that includes tacrolimus) to prevent graft rejection, will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive sparsentan in addition to SOC therapy for 48 weeks or to remain on SOC therapy for the first 24 weeks after which sparsentan will be added to SOC therapy for the second 24 weeks of the study. All patients will stop ACEIs, ARBs, aldosterone blockers or aliskiren prior to initiating sparsentan treatment. All patients will complete a 4-week follow-up period, during which time treatment will be at the discretion of the investigator. Urinary protein excretion, estimated GFR (eGFR), Oxford Classification (MEST-C) for renal biopsies will be assessed, as well as measurement of tacrolimus levels during the trial. Safety will be assessed by adverse events (AEs), clinical laboratory evaluations, and vital signs.

02

Conditions studied

  • Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy
  • Kidney Diseases
  • Glomerulonephritis, IGA
  • Glomerulonephritis
  • Autoimmune Diseases
  • Immune System Diseases
03

In context

Glomerulonephritis, IGA

275 studies on the registry are indexed under Glomerulonephritis, IGA; 107 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 24 is below the median of 62 across 221 interventional studies indexed under Glomerulonephritis, IGA.

Browse Glomerulonephritis, IGA studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Leicester is the lead sponsor of 170 studies on the registry; 51 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

For Cohort A (Patients with Incident IgAN)

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The patient is willing and able to provide signed .
  • The patient can understand written and spoken English.
  • The patient is male or female, aged ≥18 years.
  • The patient has been diagnosed with -proven IgAN within the last 6 months (calculated from the date of kidney biopsy, upon which the IgAN-positive diagnosis was made, to the signing of the informed consent form).
  • The patient has a urine total protein value ≥0.5 g/day at screening.
  • The patient has an value ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2 at screening.
  • The patient has not previously been treated with ACEI and/or ARB therapy for IgAN OR has not received ACEI and/or ARB therapy within the last 12 months.
  • The patient has a systolic BP ≤150 mmHg and ≥100 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure ≤100 mmHg and ≥60 mmHg at screening.
  • Women of (WOCBP), beginning at menarche, must agree to the use of one highly reliable (ie, can achieve a failure rate of \<1% per year) method of from 7 days prior to the first dose of trial medication until 90 days after the last dose of trial medication. Highly reliable contraception methods include stable oral, implanted, transdermal, or injected contraceptive hormones associated with inhibition of ovulation, or an intrauterine device (IUD) in place for at least 3 months. One additional barrier method must also be used during sexual activity, such as a diaphragm or diaphragm with spermicide (preferred), or male partner's use of male condom or male condom with spermicide), from Day 1 until 90 days after the last dose of trial medication.

WOCBP are defined as those who are fertile, following menarche and until becoming unless permanently sterile; permanent sterilisation methods include hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, and bilateral oophorectomy. A postmenopausal state is defined as amenorrhoea for more than 24 consecutive months without an alternative medical cause; women on hormone replacement therapy must have a documented plasma follicle-stimulating hormone level ≥40 mIU/mL. All WOCBP must have a negative pregnancy test at Visit 1 (serum test) and Visit 2 (urine, with positive results confirmed by serum).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The patient has IgAN secondary to another condition (eg, systemic lupus erythematosus, liver cirrhosis).
  • The patient, in the opinion of the Investigator, has a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (rapid decline in GFR and crescents on biopsy).
  • The patient has a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus ( [HbA1c] >8%), or nonfasting blood glucose >10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) at screening.
  • The patient has undergone any organ transplantation, with the exception of corneal transplants.
  • The patient requires any of the prohibited concomitant medications (see Section 14.4).
  • The patient has been taking any systemic medications for >2 weeks within 6 months prior to screening.
  • The patient has a documented history of heart failure ( Class II-IV) and/or previous hospitalisation for heart failure or unexplained dyspnoea, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, ascites, and/or peripheral oedema.
  • The patient has cerebrovascular disease ( or stroke) and/or coronary artery disease (hospitalisation for myocardial infarction or unstable angina, new onset of angina with positive functional tests, coronary angiogram revealing stenosis, or a coronary revascularisation procedure) within 6 months prior to screening.
  • The patient has jaundice, hepatitis, or known hepatobiliary disease (including asymptomatic cholelithiasis), or (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >2 times the at screening.
  • The patient has a history of other than adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or cervical carcinoma within the past 2 years.
  • The patient has a screening haematocrit value \<27% or value \<90 g/L (9 g/dL).
  • The patient has a screening potassium value of >5.5 mmol/L (5.5 mEq/L).
  • The patient has a history of alcohol or illicit drug use disorder (as defined in the , 5th Edition).
  • The patient has a history of serious side effects or allergic response to any AngII or ERA, including sparsentan, or has a to any of the in the IMP.
  • The female patient is pregnant, plans to become pregnant during the course of the trial, or is breastfeeding.
  • The patient has participated in a trial of any product within 28 days prior to screening, or plans to participate in such a trial during the course of this trial.
  • The patient, in the opinion of the Investigator, is unable to adhere to the requirements of the trial, including the ability to swallow the IMP whole.
  • The patient, in the opinion of the Investigator, has a medical condition or abnormal clinically significant laboratory screening value not listed above that may interfere with the evaluation of sparsentan safety or activity.
  • Patients with a medical condition or abnormal clinically significant laboratory screening value not listed above that may interfere with the evaluation of sparsentan safety or activity will be reviewed before consideration of the patient for enrolment.

For Cohort B (Recurrent IgAN following kidney transplantation)

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male and female aged ≥18 years
  • Diagnosis of recurrent IgAN based on histological analysis of a transplanted kidney biopsied within the last 6 months
  • A time period of >12 months since kidney transplantation
  • UPCR ≥50 mg/mmol (≥0.44 g/g) and eGFR value ≥25 mL/min/1.73 m2
  • For patients on an ACEI and/or ARB, and/or SGLT2 inhibitor, the dosing regimen is stable for at least 6 weeks prior to and during the screening period
  • Tacrolimus treatment as part of standard of care immunosuppression following kidney transplantation
  • Systolic BP ≤150 mmHg and ≥100 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure ≤100 mmHg and ≥60 mmHg at screening.
  • Female patients not of childbearing potential, or of childbearing potential and agreeing to use the contraceptive methods listed in Section 5.1

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The patient has recurrent IgAN secondary to another condition or cause (eg, systemic lupus erythematosus, liver cirrhosis).
  • Evidence of alternative pathology on the kidney transplant biopsy as the main cause for proteinuria (e.g. diabetic nephropathy, chronic transplant glomerulopathy, mTORi treatment)
  • Patient has multiorgan transplants (with the exception of corneal transplants)
  • Immunosuppressive therapy (IST) regimen for kidney transplant or other chronic immunosuppressive therapies that is not stable for >6 weeks prior to Day 1. Exceptions include routine protocol tapering and for tacrolimus, changes in dose to meet target level
  • Treatment with enteric budesonide (nefecon) within 6 months prior to screening, or planned use of enteric budesonide (nefecon) at any time during the study.
  • Current treatment for surgical complications
  • \<3 months after anti-rejection treatment or active rejection
  • Active bacterial, fungal or viral infection and/or active treatment of infection including BKV, CMV, , and C \<3 months prior to and during the screening period
  • Current treatment for surgical complications
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (defined by HbA1C >8% (>64 mmol/mol)
  • History of heart failure (New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-IV)
  • Jaundice, hepatitis, or known hepatobiliary disease
  • Malignancy within the past 2 years with the exception of adequately treated basal cell carcinoma or non- squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, with no evidence or recurrence
  • Haematocrit \<27%, haemoglobin \<90 g/L (9 g/dL), or potassium >5.5 mmol/L (5.5 mEq/L)
  • History of alcohol or illicit drug use disorder (as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition)
  • History of serious side effects or allergic response to any angiotensin II antagonist or endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) or dual endothelin and angiotensin receptor antagonist (DEARA e.g. sparsentan)
  • The female patient is pregnant, plans to become pregnant during the course of the study, or is breastfeeding.
  • The patient has participated in a study of any investigational product within 28 days prior to screening, or plans to participate in such a study during the course of this study.
  • The patient, in the opinion of the Investigator, is unable to adhere to the requirements of the study, including the ability to swallow the IMP whole.
  • The patient, in the opinion of the Investigator, has a medical condition or abnormal clinically significant laboratory screening value not listed above that may interfere with the evaluation of sparsentan safety or activity.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(22)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

HbA1c

A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

TIA (transient ischaemic attack)

A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.

Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

DSM diagnostic criteria

The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Excipients

The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
24 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Sparsentan

    Sparsentan will be administered once daily, starting at a dose of 200 mg (two 100 mg oral capsules) for the first 2 weeks of the study. Patients who tolerate the initial dose of 200 mg after 2 weeks will increase their dose to 400 mg (one 400 mg tablet). Patients who do not tolerate the target dose will have their dose reduced back to 200 or 100 mg/day; throughout the study, patients will be maintained on the maximum allowed dose of sparsentan they can tolerate. All patients will be treated with sparsentan for a total of 110 weeks.

    Drug: Sparsentan

Interventions

  • Target dose of 400 mg daily

    Also known as: RE-021

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Urine protein/creatinine ratio (UP/C) at Week 36

    The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in the urine protein/creatinine ratio (UP/C), based on a 24-hour urine sample, at Week 36.

    Time frame: Week 36

Secondary outcomes

  1. eGFR over a 52-week period

    Rate of change in eGFR over a 1-year (52 week) period following the initial acute effect of therapy (ie, from 6 weeks post-initiation of investigational medicinal product (IMP) to 58 weeks post-initiation of IMP).

    Time frame: Week 58

  2. eGFR over a 104-week period

    Rate of change in eGFR over a 2-year (104 week) period following the initial acute effect of therapy (ie, from 6 weeks post-initiation of investigational medicinal product (IMP) to 110 weeks post-initiation of IMP).

    Time frame: Week 110

  3. Change from baseline in proteinuria

    Change from baseline in proteinuria, measured by urinary protein/creatinine ratio \[UPCR\] and 24-hour protein excretion, up to Week 114

    Time frame: Up to Week 114

  4. Abnormalities in clinical laboratory assessments and vital signs

    Proportion of patients with abnormalities in clinical laboratory assessments and vital signs at each visit

    Time frame: Up to Week 114

  5. Incidence of adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, AEs leading to discontinuation, AEs leading to death

    AEs, serious AEs, AEs leading to discontinuation, AEs leading to death

    Time frame: Up to Week 114

07

Study locations

6 of 6 sites recruiting
  • Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
    Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
  • Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust - Salford Royal
    Salford, England, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
  • Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh & Western General Hospital
    Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
  • University Hospital of wales
    Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XW, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
  • Leicester General Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
    Leicester, LE5 4PW, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
  • King's College Hospital
    London, United Kingdom
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 3, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04663204
Collaborators
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 10, 2020
Start date
Dec 10, 2020
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 3, 2026

Study contacts

Justyna Szklarzewicz
Contact
justyna.szklarzewicz@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
+44 116 258 4351
Chee Kay Cheung, MBChB PhD
principal investigator · University of Leicester

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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