Diabetic nephropathy (DN) occurs in approximately 20-40% of the type 2 diabetes (T2D) global population.  It has always been a challenge to find translatable, reliable and robust animal disease models for diabetic nephropathy −  but the monkey model of diabetes with the progressive development of complications that resembles all the disease characteristics in humans can be considered as one of the most clinically translatable animal disease model for diabetic nephropathy.

At KBI, our cynomolgus monkey model of diabetic nephropathy / CKD approaches all the disease characteristics in humans and can be regarded as one of the most clinically translatable disease model for the efficacy evaluation of DN / CKD therapeutic agents.

The monkeys are followed up serially for the development of albuminuria and early renal functional changes.  24-h urine samples are also tested for other urinary biomarkers (i.e., glomerular, tubular, inflammation markers, and biomarkers of oxidative stress).  Hypertension monitoring and GFR measurements using FITC-inulin as a filtration marker are performed longitudinally.   Renal biopsies are conducted for confirmation of the presence of histopathological changes.

We screen for the development of diabetic nephropathy from our large cohort of T2D monkeys that have been on high-fat diet for several years. 

GFR is the best index available to assess kidney function. KBI has developed the method of GFR measurement in monkeys using fluorescein isothiocyanate-inulin (FITC-inulin) as a filtration marker.