Advancing kidney protection in type 1 diabetes: insights from emerging therapies in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease

For decades, the first-line treatment for kidney protection in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been limited to intensive glycemic control, renin-angiotensin system blockers and managing modifiable risk factors. Accordingly, risk of CKD progression has remained unacceptably high, emphasizing the need for novel kidney protective therapies in T1D. This review summarizes the recent evidence supporting the use of existing treatments used for kidney protection in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) for potential repurposing for people with T1D. First, we highlight the putative structural and functional changes that actively contribute to CKD progression and highlight key hemodynamic, pro-inflammatory, and kidney injury risk markers in T1D. Next, we discuss emerging nephroprotective therapies targeting these pathophysiological factors, review mechanistic studies that have assessed kidney benefits of these agents in T1D, and highlight ongoing kidney-focused trials in T1D, including SUGARNSALT (NCT06217302), FINE-ONE (NCT05901831) and REMODEL-T1D (NCT05822609). Several medications have become available that could potentially transform CKD care in T1D. It is essential to devise strategies that could address the treatment landscape for kidney protection in T1D by assessing the risk-benefit calculus and expanding the nephrologist's toolkit for minimizing kidney risk in T1D.