Dr N Ranganathan, Founder, Kibow Biotech and Pari CKDu Foundation, US announced a philanthropic collaboration with Tanker Foundation, Chennai and Centaur Pharmaceuticals, to explore potential novel treatment options for Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) patients.
CKDu affects poor farmers and construction workers working under harsh environmental conditions in countries such as India and Sri Lanka, as well as throughout Mesoamerica and the Balkan States. Unlike CKD, which arises from old age, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other medical problems, patients with CKDu do not have any of those primary symptoms. It also affects scores of younger patients; those affected are often in their 30s or 40s. Because the disease profile is so different from most cases of CKD, it is known as CKDu, or CKD of Unknown Origin/Etiology. Amongst kidney disease researchers, there has always been a debate over whether this disease is caused by heat stress or environmental toxins such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilisers, among other plant-based toxins (aristolochic acid, etc.)
Dr Ranganathan, Pari CKDu foundation, Tanker Foundation and Centaur Pharmaceuticals have targeted their mission toward addressing the causes and potential treatments for CKDu. To this end, preparations have begun to finalise a protocol to perform clinical trials, starting with a small pilot-scale study investigating Uddanam Nephropathy.