Summary
Angiotensin Ii has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 registered trials linking Angiotensin Ii to Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD): 3 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT00541853). The largest enrolment is 160 participants (NCT00890279). Registration activity spans 2007 to 2013. The literature layer holds 7 publications for this pair: 1 Cochrane review, 1 randomised controlled trial publication and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 1990 to 2015. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Polycystic Kidney Disease 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: Progressive; GFR decline averages 4-5 mL/min/year in Mayo Class 1C-1E; renal failure by 60-70 years in 50% without treatment; spontaneous stabilisation rare.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 45.0 (trials 7.0, literature 18.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 3 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 3 other |
| Linked publications | 7 (5 clinical trial publications, 1 Cochrane review, 1 randomised controlled trial publication) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | agonist |
| 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trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5).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
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT00541853 | CCB Safety Study in Treatment of Hypertension of ADPKD 2007 | status unknown | Phase 4 | 150 |
| NCT00890279 | Efficacy and Safety Study of Second-Line Treatment for Hypertension With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease(ADPKD) 2009 | status unknown | Phase 2 | 160 |
| NCT01932450 | Radiofrequency Ablation for ADPKD Blood Pressure and Disease Progression Control 2013 | status unknown | Phase 2 | 100 |
Published literature
- Cochrane review Antihypertensive treatments in adult autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: network meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trialsXue C, Zhou C, Dai B et al. · Oncotarget · 2015 · PMID 26636542
- Clinical trial publication Angiotensin blockade in late autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseaseTorres VE, Abebe KZ, Chapman AB et al. · The New England journal of medicine · 2014 · PMID 25399731
- Clinical trial publication Urinary excretion of AQP2 and ENaC in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease during basal conditions and after a hypertonic saline infusionGraffe CC, Bech JN, Lauridsen TG et al. · American journal of physiology. Renal physiology · 2012 · PMID 22262484
- Clinical trial publication Candesartan reduces urinary fatty acid-binding protein excretion in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseaseNakamura T, Sugaya T, Kawagoe Y et al. · The American journal of the medical sciences · 2005 · PMID 16234607
- Clinical trial publication Calcium channel blocker versus angiotensin II receptor blocker in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseaseNutahara K, Higashihara E, Horie S et al. · Nephron. Clinical practice · 2005 · PMID 15637459
- Clinical trial publication Effects of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist candesartan cilexetil on blood pressure and proteinuria in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseaseNakamura T, Ushiyama C, Shimada N et al. · Nephron · 2000 · PMID 11096316
- Randomized controlled trial Natriuresis-pressure relationship in polycystic kidney diseaseSchmid M, Mann JF, Stein G et al. · Journal of hypertension · 1990 · PMID 2159509
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: agonist.
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 Angiotensin Ii approved for Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)?
Angiotensin Ii has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Angiotensin Ii in clinical trials for Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 registered trials linking Angiotensin Ii to Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD): 3 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT00541853). The largest enrolment is 160 participants (NCT00890279). Registration activity spans 2007 to 2013.
What does the evidence show for Angiotensin Ii in Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD)?
Trials of Angiotensin Ii in Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) are registered but none has completed, so there is no outcome evidence from those studies yet; the record is a signal of research interest. 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.