Proteon Therapeutics’ hemodialysis drug tests advance

A crucial step to bring new drugs to market has begun by Proteon Therapeutics for its lead product, a drug expected to improve treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Proteon, founded in 2001 in Kansas City, has been developing PRT-201, a drug designed to reduce the failure of hemodialysis vascular access, a condition that often develops in patients.

The drug has received “fast track” and “orphan drug” designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has begun Phase 3 clinical testing. Random, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials will enroll 300 patients at about 30 hemodialysis centers in this test phase.

Diane Stafford/stafford@kcstar.com

This story was originally published July 21, 2014 at 2:37 PM.