Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 and up

SP16 to help prevent kidney injury during cardiac surgery in people with CKD

Official title: Efficacy and Safety of SP16 in Preventing Acute Kidney Injury in At-risk Subjects With Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Elective Cardiac Surgery Using the Heart-lung-machine: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial (EASE-AKI)

Run by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School · NCT07661940 · Data updated 2026-11-12

Researchers are testing SP16 to see if it can prevent acute kidney injury in adults with chronic kidney disease who are having heart surgery that uses a heart-lung machine.

More AKI - Acute Kidney Injury trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment120 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsprednisone
Locations1 site (Erlangen, Bavaria)
StatusRecruiting
StartedSeptember 14, 2026
Main results expectedMay 2029
Study endsMay 2029
Registry record updatedSeptember 24, 2026
Trial IDNCT07661940 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults aged 18 and older with CKD stage 2–3b (eGFR 30–90 mL/min/1.73 m2) undergoing specified cardiac surgeries with CPB.

Probably not a fit

Patients without CKD or those not undergoing CPB-related surgery may not benefit from this intervention.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a Phase 2 interventional trial evaluating the safety and potential kidney-protective effect of SP16 compared with placebo in at-risk adults undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass during cardiac surgery. The study targets adults with CKD stage 2–3b and planned CABG or valve surgery, and requires CPB use. Participants will receive SP16 or placebo during the perioperative period, and follow-up extends a little over five months to assess kidney-related outcomes and safety. Screening occurs about 7 weeks to 2 days before surgery, with hospitalization lasting roughly 10 days for the surgical procedure. The trial is conducted at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, with Serpin Pharma, LLC as a collaborator, under the lead sponsorship of the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, SP16 could reduce the risk of acute kidney injury after heart surgery in people with CKD.

How similar studies have gone: Previous small studies have explored SP16 in limited populations; this trial builds on that work to test kidney-protective potential in a broader surgical CKD cohort.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Individual aged ≥18 years.
* Male or female.
* Scheduled for CABG OR aortic valve surgery (aortic valve replacement or repair alone, with or without aortic root repair) OR mitral valve surgery OR aortic/mitral valve surgery combined with CABG.
* Use of the CPB during surgical intervention expected.
* Written informed consent obtained from the participant.
* Understanding of study procedures and willingness to abide by all procedures during the course of the clinical trial.
* CKD Stage 2-3b with eGFR ≤90 and ≥30 ml/min/1.73 m2 (according to 2021 CKD-EPI equation) known for ≥ 3 months prior to enrollment
* BMI ≥19 kg/m² to ≤40 kg/m².
* Contraceptive measures:

Female participants must fulfil at least one of the following criteria of highly effective contraception (according to CTFG recommendations v1.2) during and up to 3 months after the end of study participation:

* Menopause (at least 12 months of natural amenorrhoea or 6 months of amenorrhoea with serum FSH \>40 mU/ml) OR
* Condition after bilateral ovariectomy or hysterectomy for at least 6 weeks prior to the screening appointment (Visit 1a, Day 54 to -2) OR
* Regular, correct and reliable use of a contraceptive method with an error rate ≤1% per year:

  1. Inhibition of ovulation by estrogen and progesterone combination preparations (oral, intravaginal, or transdermal) or
  2. Inhibition of ovulation by progesterone monopreparations (oral, per injectionem \[depot injections\], or implant) or
  3. Intrauterine device, hormone coil OR
* Bilateral tubal ligation OR
* Vasectomy of all partners OR
* Sexual abstinence.

Male participants must fulfill at least one of the following contraceptive criteria during and up to 3 months after the end of participation in the study:

* Vasectomy OR
* Regular, correct, and reliable use of condoms

Exclusion Criteria:

* CKD stages 4-5 with eGFR \<30 ml/min/1.73 m2 pre-surgery as determined by CKD EPI.
* Previous cardiac surgery.
* Person has a kidney transplant or another solid organ transplant.
* Person is scheduled for intermittent or continuous renal replacement therapy (dialysis).
* Known diagnosis of dementia or other clinical signs of mental illness that will prevent full understanding.
* Known diagnosis of severe COPD (Gold 3) and/or FEV1 \< 1 l/s.
* Heart failure with severity of symptoms according to NYHA IV.
* Heart failure with impaired cardiac pump function (LVEF \<35%).
* Acute onset or ongoing sepsis - sepsis is defined as the presence of a confirmed or putative infection, along with a dysregulated systemic immune reaction leading to organ dysfunction.
* Clinical signs of a currently active infection including endocarditis requiring antibiotic treatment.
* Clinical signs of an acute viral infection.
* Serious underlying disease(s) or very poor general medical condition, so that in the investigator's judgment the person is not expected to survive ICU or hospital stay.
* Patient who has an active (requiring treatment) malignancy or history within 5 years prior to enrollment in the study, of solid, metastatic or hematologic malignancy with the exception of basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that has been removed.
* Administration of iodinated contrast agent within 24 hours prior to cardiac surgery
* Recent (discontinued in the last 14 days before V1a or V1b) or current treatment with immunosuppressive drugs, including, but not limited to, high dose corticosteroids \[\> 1 mg/kg of prednisone equivalent\], tumour necrosis factor alpha blockers, or ciclosporin.
* Current regular use of anti inflammatory drugs such as NSAID, with discontinuation not possible. (however, if these medications are discontinued in the last 10 days before V2, the participant is eligible to participate). ASA up to 100 mg per day is allowed.
* Systemic corticosteroid therapy (any dose).
* Known active chronic inflammatory disease (including, but not limited to, rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus).
* Known allergy to SP16 or to other ingredients of the IMP.
* Person who is not willing to use highly effective contraceptive measures (according to CTFG recommendations v1.2).
* Pregnant women.
* Breastfeeding women.
* Current participation in another interventional clinical study (register studies or non-interventional, observational studies excluded).
* Employee or direct relative of an employee of the study site, the CRO, or the Sponsor.

Where it's running

  • Universitätsklinikum Erlangen
    Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.