Summary
Captopril has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Lupus Nephritis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Lupus Nephritis. No registered clinical trial in this database tests Captopril specifically in Lupus Nephritis. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study. The literature layer holds 2 publications for this pair: 2 randomised controlled trial publications. Publication years run from 1989 to 2005. These are primary trial reports rather than syntheses, so results have not yet been pooled or graded independently.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Lupus Nephritis ranks 50 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Spontaneous remission essentially zero in class III/IV LN; progression to ESRD in 10-20% at 10 years on standard therapy; renal flares in 30-50% of patients achieving initial response.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 26.0 (trials 0.0, literature 6.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 0 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 2 (2 randomised controlled trial publications) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | AGTR1 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
No registered trial links Captopril to Lupus Nephritis in the current OSMF trial extract.
Published literature
- Randomized controlled trial Captopril effect on prostaglandin E2, thromboxane B2 and proteinuria in lupus nephritis patientsDaza L, Kornhauser C, Zamora L et al. · Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators · 2005 · PMID 16303616
- Randomized controlled trial Captopril, an angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor, decreases proteinuria in hypertensive patients with renal diseasesIkeda T, Nakayama D, Gomi T et al. · Nephron · 1989 · PMID 2651951
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target AGTR1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Captopril approved for Lupus Nephritis?
Captopril has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Lupus Nephritis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Lupus Nephritis. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Captopril in clinical trials for Lupus Nephritis?
No registered clinical trial in this database tests Captopril specifically in Lupus Nephritis. The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study.
What does the evidence show for Captopril in Lupus Nephritis?
The record for Captopril in Lupus Nephritis rests on 2 publications without a registered trial. This is a lead for hypothesis generation, not evidence of efficacy. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target AGTR1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-06. Page built 2026-10-07.