Kidney News in Brief: FDA Delay for Sparsentan in FSGS, Decline in Deceased Donors and Transplants

Here is a look at recent developments and headlines in nephrology.

FDA Postpones Decision on Sparsentan in FSGS

The FDA was due to hand down a decision on January 13, 2026, regarding Travere Therapeutics’ Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to expand the approval of sparsentan to the treatment of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Instead, the agency has postponed its decision until April 13.

The FDA requested responses from Travere to further elucidate the agent’s clinical benefit in FSGS. The requests were unrelated to manufacturing or safety.

Travere markets sparsentan, a dual blocker of the endothelin type A receptor and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor, under the brand name Filspari. Sparsentan is approved by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency to slow kidney function decline in adults with IgA nephropathy. If Travere’s sNDA is approved, sparsentan will become the first medication indicated for FSGS.

Report Warns of Decline in Deceased Donor Kidneys and Transplants

The nonprofit Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) warned of a measurable decline in deceased donations and deceased donor kidney transplants in 2025, even as living donations increased and kidney discard rates fell. The trend is documented  in a new report, Losing Transplants for All the Wrong Reasons.

The KTC said the decline was fueled by weakened public confidence following cases of attempted organ recovery from patients who later showed signs of life, donor withdrawal rates, and more cautious behavior from organ procurement organizations due to heightened scrutiny.

In a statement, the organization called for expanded access to living kidney donors, saying, “Without immediate action, more patients will be pushed onto long-term dialysis and a system already stretched thin will face mounting pressure both financially and logistically. Policymakers, hospitals, and transplant leaders should not sit on the sidelines thinking this crisis will solve itself.”

Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Update CKD Guideline

The US Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Defense issued an updated clinical practice guideline for the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The guideline includes 23 evidence-based recommendations, 21 of which are new or revised from 2019. Eleven focus on pharmacologic management, reflecting an expanding toolkit for CKD care.

The guideline also identifies key research gaps, including optimal testing strategies, comparative effectiveness of drug therapies, treatment targets for CKD managed without dialysis, and outcomes in understudied populations.

For primary care clinicians, the guideline offers practical, evidence-based recommendations to slow CKD progression, reduce cardiovascular risk, and guide timely nephrology referral to help ensure patients receive the right therapy at the right stage of disease.

New Kidney Care Partners Chair Shares 2026 Priorities

LaVarne A. Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund, has begun her 2-year term as chair of Kidney Care Partners (KCP), a coalition of patient advocates, physician organizations, health professional groups, dialysis providers, researchers, and manufacturers.

Burton, who also served as executive secretary to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), deputy assistant secretary for budget policy at HHS, and senior analyst to the Budget Committee of the US House of Representatives, shared her priorities for KCP. They include advancing the Restoring Protections for Dialysis Patients Act to reinstate patient choice under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, strengthening care delivery and securing appropriate reimbursement for innovative products through the Kidney Care Access Protection Act, and ensuring appropriate coverage and reimbursement under Medicare Advantage.

Burton’s term follows that of Mahesh Krishnan, MD, MPH, MBA, of DaVita Kidney Care. Keith A. Bellovich, DO, a nephrologist and past president and current board member for the Renal Physicians Association, succeeds Burton as chair-elect.

NKF Appoints Three New Board Members

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) announced the appointment of three new board members to its national board of directors.

Meredith Atkinson, MD, MHS, is an associate professor of pediatrics and a pediatric nephrologist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she also serves as codirector of the Pediatric Lupus Multi-Disciplinary Clinic and director of the Predoctoral Clinical Research Training Program.

Doreen Griffith is a board member of Grant Thornton LLP and recently retired partner of Grant Thornton Advisors. She has 35 years of professional services experience and extensive knowledge of best practices within structuring, compliance, and federal tax consulting. Having a living donor and a kidney transplant recipient in her family, Griffith has firsthand knowledge of the challenges patients face.

Viral Chawda is a senior techno-functional artificial intelligence (AI) executive and a partner at Grant Thornton, helping organizations with AI and data-driven transformation accomplish their organizational visions. He has helped Big Four firms deliver projects in the areas of healthcare, pharmaceutical, national security, defense, banking, financial services, and industrial manufacturing.

Kevin Longino, NKF’s chief executive officer, welcomed the new board members in a statement and said, “Their diverse perspectives will be invaluable as we continue driving innovation and expanding our impact.”