Skip to main content

Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant

Nephrology
11
Pipeline Programs
5
Companies
12
Clinical Trials
3
Approved Products

Pipeline by Development Stage

Preclinical
Phase 1
Phase 1/2
Phase 2
Phase 2/3
Phase 3
On Market
0
0
0
4
1
2
4
Early DiscoveryClinical DevelopmentMarket

Drug Modality Breakdown

Small Molecule
480%
Peptide
120%
+ 7 programs with unclassified modality

Nephrology is a $36.6B mature market dominated by cardiometabolic crossover drugs with limited pure renal innovation.

$36.6B marketMature→ Stable30 products15 companies

Key Trends

  • GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors dominate (69% of spending) due to dual cardio-renal benefits
  • Patent cliffs approaching 2026-2030 create generic conversion risk for blockbuster franchises
  • Pipeline activity remains robust (2,785 trials) but concentrated in early-phase basic research

Career Verdict

Nephrology offers stable employment in commercial and medical affairs roles, but limited growth upside due to mature blockbuster dependency and declining pure renal research focus.

AI-generated market analysis based on FDA, CMS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and hiring data

Market Leaders

#1OZEMPICStable
$9.2B
Novo Nordisk·Peak12.4yr
#2JARDIANCEStable
$8.8B
#4FARXIGAStable
$4.3B
AstraZeneca·Peak15.4yr

Drug Class Breakdown

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists
$16.6B(45%)

cardiometabolic dominance

Sodium-Glucose Transporter 2 Inhibitors
$8.8B(24%)

cardioprotective expansion

SGLT2 Inhibitors (dapagliflozin class)
$4.3B(12%)

heart failure crossover

Adrenergic Beta3-Agonists
$3.0B(8%)

overactive bladder niche

Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
$1.3B(4%)

declining relevance

Career Outlook

Stable

Nephrology careers are stable but not expanding; the field is supported by blockbuster drugs (GLP-1s, SGLT2i) that face patent cliffs between 2026–2041, creating near-term employment security but long-term uncertainty. Commercial and medical affairs roles dominate hiring, while R&D investment is limited to niche mechanisms (complement inhibition, gene therapy). Career progression depends on specialization in medtech, diagnostics, or orphan nephrology rather than traditional pharma blockbuster development.

Breaking In

Target medtech platforms (Outset, Fresenius) or biotech innovators (Vertex, Calyxo) over traditional pharma; nephrology offers job stability and clinical depth but limited growth trajectory in pure pharmaceutical roles.

For Experienced Professionals

Leverage cardiometabolic expertise to span diabetes, CKD, and HF franchises; position for transition to orphan nephrology (ADPKD, FSGS, IgA) where innovation and valuation multiples are highest.

In-Demand Skills

Renal endpoints and biomarkers (eGFR, albuminuria)Cardio-renal crossover knowledge (diabetes + CKD + HF)Medtech systems expertise (dialysis, transplantation platforms)Medical affairs and key opinion leader management

Best For

Medical Science Liaison (renal specialists)Commercial Manager (established nephro franchise)Clinical Development Manager (rare kidney disease)Real-world evidence analyst (CKD outcomes)

Hiring Landscape

$108K–$330K

Nephrology hiring is concentrated in commercial roles (58 positions, $108K avg) and medical affairs (12 positions, $330K avg), reflecting mature market dynamics. Top hiring companies are innovative platforms (Vertex: 41 jobs) and medtech (Outset: 21 jobs), not traditional pharma. Salary compression in commercial roles suggests commoditization.

124
Open Roles
5
Companies Hiring
4
Departments

Top Hiring Companies

20Growing
8Stable

By Department

Commercial(47%)
$108K
Medical Affairs(10%)
$330K
Clinical Excellence(6%)
$140K
Quality Assurance(4%)
$201K

Hiring favors medtech and biotech platforms over traditional pharma; medical affairs offers premium compensation but limited volume; commercial roles are abundant but underpaid relative to other therapeutic areas.

On Market (3)

Approved therapies currently available

Otsuka
JYNARQUEApproved
tolvaptan
Otsuka
Vasopressin V2 Receptor Antagonist [EPC]oral2018
76M Part D
Otsuka
SAMSCAApproved
tolvaptan
Otsuka
Vasopressin V2 Receptor Antagonist [EPC]oral2009
12M Part D
Otsuka
TOLVAPTANApproved
tolvaptan
Otsuka
oral2025
3M Part D

Competitive Landscape

5 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

Colorado Therapeutics
Colorado TherapeuticsCO - Louisville
6 programs
2
1
1
CurcuminPhase 41 trial
pravastatinPhase 3Small Molecule1 trial
EmpagliflozinPhase 2Small Molecule1 trial
MetforminPhase 21 trial
DietaryN/A1 trial
+1 more programs
Active Trials
NCT04534985Completed29Est. Mar 2023
NCT03342742Completed29Est. Oct 2020
NCT05510115Active Not Recruiting50Est. Aug 2026
+3 more trials
Otsuka
OtsukaJapan - Tokushima
3 programs
1
1
1
TolvaptanPhase 31 trial
TolvaptanPhase 21 trial
tolvaptanN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT02847624Completed1,802Est. Sep 2022
NCT00413777Completed46Est. Jun 2010
NCT02251275Completed1,803Est. Nov 2018
Sandoz
SandozAustria - Kundl
1 program
1
OctreotidePhase 2/3Peptide1 trial
Active Trials
NCT00426153Completed42Est. Oct 2008
Pfizer
PfizerNEW YORK, NY
1 program
1
BosutinibPhase 2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT01233869Completed172Est. Aug 2014
Sanofi
SanofiPARIS, France
1 program
TesevatinibPHASE_1_2Small Molecule1 trial
Active Trials
NCT01559363Completed69Est. Feb 2019

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Colorado TherapeuticsCurcumin
OtsukaTolvaptan
Colorado Therapeuticspravastatin
SandozOctreotide
Colorado TherapeuticsEmpagliflozin
Colorado TherapeuticsMetformin
PfizerBosutinib
OtsukaTolvaptan
SanofiTesevatinib
Colorado TherapeuticsDietary
Colorado TherapeuticsWeight Loss
Otsukatolvaptan

Clinical Trials (12)

Total enrollment: 4,276 patients across 12 trials

Curcumin Therapy to Treat Vascular Dysfunction in Children and Young Adults With ADPKD

Start: Nov 2015Est. completion: Feb 202168 patients
Phase 4Completed

Long Term Safety of Immediate-release Tolvaptan in Subjects With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Start: Oct 2014Est. completion: Nov 20181,803 patients
Phase 3Completed

Effect of Statin Therapy on Disease Progression in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)

Start: Nov 2006Est. completion: Oct 2012110 patients
Phase 3Completed

Octreotide in Severe Polycystic Liver Disease

Start: Jan 2007Est. completion: Oct 200842 patients
Phase 2/3Completed

Feasibility of Study of Empagliflozin in Patients With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Start: Nov 2022Est. completion: Aug 202650 patients
Phase 2Active Not Recruiting

Feasibility Study of Metformin Therapy in ADPKD

Start: Nov 2016Est. completion: Aug 202056 patients
Phase 2Completed

Bosutinib For Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Start: Dec 2010Est. completion: Aug 2014172 patients
Phase 2Completed

Tolvaptan Open-label Pilot Efficacy, Tolerability, and Safety Study in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)

Start: Dec 2005Est. completion: Jun 201046 patients
Phase 2Completed

A Safety, Pharmacokinetic & Dose-Escalation Study of KD019 in Subjects With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Start: Oct 2012Est. completion: Feb 201969 patients
Phase 1/2Completed

Time Restricted Feeding in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Start: Feb 2021Est. completion: Mar 202329 patients
N/ACompleted

Daily Caloric Restriction and Intermittent Fasting in Overweight and Obese Adults With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Start: Jun 2018Est. completion: Oct 202029 patients
N/ACompleted

Post-Marketing Surveillance Study of Tolvaptan in Patients With ADPKD

Start: Mar 2014Est. completion: Sep 20221,802 patients
N/ACompleted

Related Jobs in Nephrology

Phase Legend

PreclinicalLab & animal studies
Phase 1Safety & dosing
Phase 2Efficacy testing
Phase 3Large-scale trials
On MarketApproved & available

Key Insights

2 late-stage (Phase 3) programs, potential near-term approvals
5 companies competing in this space

The information on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Drug information is sourced from FDA, DailyMed, and other government databases. Adverse event data from FAERS does not establish causation. Always consult a healthcare professional for medical decisions.