Introduction One-third of kidney transplantation patients experience acute kidney injury (AKI) resulting in delayed graft function (DGF), associated with increased risk of graft failure and mortality. Preclinical and phase 2 data indicate that treatment with ANG-3777 (formerly BB3), a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mimetic, may improve long-term kidney function and reduce health care resource use and cost, but these data require validation in a phase 3 randomized controlled trial. Methods The Graft Improvement Following Transplant (GIFT) trial is a multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trial, designed to determine the efficacy and safety of ANG-3777 in renal transplantation patients showing signs of DGF. Subjects are randomized 1:1 to ANG-3777 (2 mg/kg) administered intravenously once daily for 3 consecutive days starting within 30 hours after transplantation, or to placebo. Results The primary endpoint is estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 12 months. Secondary endpoints include proportion of subjects with eGFR >30 at days 30, 90, 180, and 360; proportion of subjects whose graft function is slow, delayed, or primary nonfunction; length of hospitalization; and duration of dialysis through day 30. Adverse events are assessed throughout the study. Conclusion GIFT will generate data that are important to advancing treatment of DGF in this medically complex population.

Introduction: Nearly one-third of patients undergoing cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) experience cardiac surgery-associated (CSA) acute kidney injury (AKI); 5% require renal replacement therapy. ANG-3777 is a hepatocyte growth factor mimetic. In vitro, ANG-3777 reduces apoptosis and increases cell proliferation, migration, morphogenesis, and angiogenesis in injured kidneys. In animal models, ANG-3777 mitigates the effects of renal damage secondary to ischemia reperfusion injury and nephrotoxic chemicals. Phase 2 data in AKI of renal transplantation have shown improved renal function and comparable safety relative to placebo. The Guard Against Renal Damage (GUARD) study is a phase 2 proof of concept trial of ANG-3777 in CSA-AKI. Methods: GUARD is a 240-patient, multicenter, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of ANG-3777 in patients at elevated pre-surgery risk for AKI undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or heart valve repair/replacement requiring CPB. Subjects are randomized 1:1 to receive ANG-3777 (2 mg/kg) or placebo. Study drug is dosed via 4 daily intravenous 30minute infusions. The first dose is administered less than 4 hours after completing CPB, second at 24 AE 2 hours post-CPB, with two subsequent doses at 24 AE 2 hours after the previous dose. Results: The primary efficacy endpoint is percent change from baseline serum creatinine to mean area under the curve from days 2 through 6. Secondary endpoints include change in estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline to day 30, the proportion of patients diagnosed with AKI by stage through day 5, and the length of CSA-AKI hospitalization. Safety will include adverse events and laboratory measures. Conclusion: This phase 2 study of ANG-3777 provides data to develop a phase 3 registrational study in this medically complex condition.