A new clinical trial, CKD-bioMatch (an important part of the PRIME-CKD project) has been initiated, aiming to improve treatment for patients with progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). This initiative represents a major step toward bringing precision medicine from the lab to the clinic, using real biological signals to guide treatment decisions.

The trial is recruiting 125 patients with progressive CKD. Patients from Denmark, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and Sweden are being included for the trial that will run for 3 years.

Professor Maria Gomez, vice-coordinator of PRIME-CKD, is excited that Lund University and Skåne University Hospital in Sweden participate in the CKD-bioMatch trial. She says:

“Our goal is to use validated biomarkers to predict the risk of progression of chronic kidney disease. This may inform the choice of medication and tailor the frequency of follow-up care”.  

The research is being carried out in collaboration with the company Renalytix, one of the partners in PRIME-CKD. Renalytix has developed the only test so far approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to predict the progression of chronic kidney disease in diabetes.

Anders Christensson, adjunct professor at Lund University and head physician at the Department of nephrology at Skåne University Hospital adds:

“In recent years, several new drugs have been developed that slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease. However, it has become clear that the response to these treatments varies from patient to patient. We hope that the results from the clinical study we are now starting can help us optimize the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease”.

“Far from everyone receives the new medications, and patients’ adherence to treatment is also a challenge. But we see that biomarkers can help change this, by clearly showing the risk level for the individual patient”, adds Christopher Nilsson, postdoc at Lund University and resident physician in nephrology at Skåne University Hospital.

Coordinator of PRIME-CKD Hiddo L. Heerspink (UMCG, The Netherlands) is excited the CKD-bioMatch trial has started and the first patients are enrolled in the different sites:

“The enrolment of the first patients into the CKD-bioMatch trial marks an important step towards a better understanding how to personalize the treatment of CKD” says Hiddo L. Heerspink, PRIME-CKD coordinator. “This study pioneers a personalized medicine approach by using biological markers (biomarkers) to guide treatment, ensuring that the right drug reaches the right patient at the right time.”

What this may mean in practice
If successful, CKD-bioMatch could help patients receive effective therapy sooner. By identifying non-responders early, clinicians may prevent avoidable disease progression and reduce the likelihood of severe complications such as dialysis.

For healthcare systems, biomarker-guided therapy has the potential to improve treatment efficiency by focusing resources on therapies that offer measurable benefit. This could support future decision-making for reimbursement, guideline development and long-term kidney-health strategies.

PRIME-CKD – 17/12/2025