Image ©iStock/Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen

(10/01/2026) Kansas City VA researchers learned the pulmonary fibrosis medication pirfenidone could be repurposed to treat polycystic kidney disease, the leading genetic cause of kidney failure. Using gene sequencing and mouse models, the researchers showed pirfenidone suppresses the accumulation of fibrous cells that cause scarring and kidney disfunction, improving kidney function and reducing kidney enlargement from cysts. Current polycystic kidney disease treatments target fluid-filled cysts but do not address the progressive scarring that can lead to end-stage kidney disease. Adding pirfenidone as a complementary treatment could be a promising strategy to slow disease progression and preserve kidney function. (JCI Insight, Sep. 22, 2026)