Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies for diabetic kidney disease: a narrative review from basic mechanisms to clinical evidence

Introduction: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains a leading cause of end-stage kidney disease despite advances with renin-angiotensin system blockade, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, finerenone, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies may offer a targeted strategy to modulate inflammatory, fibrotic, metabolic, and vascular pathways involved in DKD. This review summarizes the mechanistic rationale, clinical evidence, translational barriers, and future prospects of antibody-based therapies for DKD. Methods: We conducted a narrative literature review using PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from database inception to March 31, 2026. We prioritized peer-reviewed preclinical studies, clinical trials, and high-quality reviews addressing mAb-based strategies targeting DKD-related pathways, including TGF-β1, VEGF-B, CTGF, suPAR, integrin αvβ8, signal regulatory protein α, and PCSK9. Results: Phase II studies of anti-TGF-β1 and anti-VEGF-B antibodies failed to show meaningful renal benefit, highlighting challenges such as pathway redundancy, delayed intervention, insufficient intrarenal target engagement, and off-kidney toxicity. Anti-CTGF therapy showed an early signal of albuminuria, whereas anti-suPAR remains under clinical evaluation. Emerging preclinical targets, including integrin αvβ8 and signal regulatory protein α, may provide more kidney-focused modulation of fibrotic and inflammatory pathways. PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies, particularly evolocumab and alirocumab, appear promising because they may confer renal benefit through lipid lowering and kidney-intrinsic effects on lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, AMPK signaling, and profibrotic pathways. Conclusion: Monoclonal antibodies represent a biologically compelling but clinically underdeveloped strategy for DKD. Future progress will require earlier biomarker-informed patient selection, confirmation of intrarenal target engagement, appropriate renal endpoints, and rational combination with established kidney-protective therapies.