# EMPA-KIDNEY: empagliflozin in a broad range of chronic kidney disease

Study · id `cardio:empa-kidney` · Cardiovascular Atlas · release `5dcd9b263fe17744` (public)

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Also called: EMPA-KIDNEY

Browse, organ or system: Kidneys  
Browse, condition area: Kidney connections  

## In plain language

A large trial of people with chronic kidney disease who were at risk of it getting worse, with or without diabetes. Half took empagliflozin 10 mg a day and half took placebo. Empagliflozin lowered the risk of kidney disease getting worse or death from a heart cause. Fewer people were admitted to hospital for any reason. Deaths from any cause did not differ significantly. The trial was stopped early at a planned interim analysis.

## Technical summary

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, with the University of Oxford and Eli Lilly as registry collaborators (NCT03594110). 6609 patients were randomized; median follow-up 2.0 years. Primary outcome (progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes): 432 of 3304 (13.1%) against 558 of 3305 (16.9%), hazard ratio 0.72 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.82; P<0.001). The trial was stopped early for efficacy at a formal interim analysis (PMC full text).

## Key facts

- Design: Randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter international trial (registry official title). The registry records phase 3 and double masking.
- Phase: Phase 3
- Enrolled: 6609 participants (enrolled count; EMPA-KIDNEY (The Study of Heart and Kidney Protection With Empagliflozin), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Started: 2019-01-31 (actual) (EMPA-KIDNEY (The Study of Heart and Kidney Protection With Empagliflozin), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Primary completion: 2022-07-05 (actual) (EMPA-KIDNEY (The Study of Heart and Kidney Protection With Empagliflozin), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Completion: 2024-07-02 (actual) (EMPA-KIDNEY (The Study of Heart and Kidney Protection With Empagliflozin), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Results first posted: 2023-07-27 (actual) (EMPA-KIDNEY (The Study of Heart and Kidney Protection With Empagliflozin), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Countries: United States; Canada; China; Germany; Italy; Japan; Malaysia; United Kingdom (EMPA-KIDNEY (The Study of Heart and Kidney Protection With Empagliflozin), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Care setting: Not reported
- Registry status: "COMPLETED" (U.S. National Library of Medicine (ClinicalTrials.gov), snapshot `cardio:ctgov-nct03594110-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Stopped early: The trial stopped early, date not reported. The data and safety monitoring board reported at a formal interim analysis that both conditions for stopping early for efficacy were met. The registry records the study as completed. (Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease, snapshot `cardio:pmc-pmc7614055-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)

## Connected pages

- Lists chronic kidney disease as its condition: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) (`cardio:chronic-kidney-disease`)
- Lead sponsor on the registry record: Boehringer Ingelheim (`cardio:boehringer-ingelheim`)
- Collaborator on the registry record: Eli Lilly and Company (`cardio:eli-lilly`)
- Tests this medicine: Empagliflozin (`cardio:empagliflozin`)
- Defines kidney disease progression by an eGFR fall in its primary outcome: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (`cardio:egfr`)

## Provenance

Content hash: 418efed405be3e5be26b65d7c01b893e42f536b4b3db9bc168a1c632b90a3594
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-15
Evidence last checked: Not recorded