Bayer has reported positive results from a prespecified subgroup analysis of the Phase 3 FIND-CKD trial, showing that finerenone (Kerendia/Firialta) slowed kidney function decline and reduced kidney-cardiovascular risks in patients with hypertensive nephropathy.

The findings, presented during a Late-Breaking Clinical Science session at ESC Congress 2026 in Munich, included 459 patients with hypertensive nephropathy from the 1,584 participants enrolled in FIND-CKD.

Finerenone reduced the annual decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) compared with placebo, with an eGFR slope of -3.17 versus -3.82 mL/min/1.73 m² per year, representing a between-group difference of 0.65 mL/min/1.73 m² per year.

The treatment also lowered the risk of the trial’s key kidney-cardiovascular composite endpoint, which included kidney failure, sustained 57 percent eGFR decline, hospitalisation for heart failure or cardiovascular death. The endpoint occurred in 12.0 percent of patients receiving finerenone versus 18.7 percent with placebo, corresponding to a hazard ratio of 0.61.

At six months, finerenone reduced urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio by 33 percent and lowered systolic blood pressure by 3.5 mmHg compared with placebo. The treatment was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with the overall FIND-CKD population.

Hypertension is among the leading causes of Chronic kidney disease (CKD), while patients with advanced non-diabetic CKD remain at elevated risk of cardiovascular events and progressive kidney function loss. Bayer said the findings add to the growing evidence supporting finerenone across diverse cardio-kidney conditions.

FIND-CKD is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind Phase 3 trial evaluating finerenone alongside standard of care in 1,584 adults with non-diabetic CKD across 283 sites. Participants received finerenone or placebo in addition to maximum tolerated renin-angiotensin system-blocking therapy.

Finerenone is a selective, non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. It is currently approved in more than 100 countries for CKD associated with type 2 diabetes and has also received approvals for heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction in several markets. It is not currently approved for non-diabetic CKD.