– EU-Calprotect

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) together pose a significant health, social, and economic challenge in the 21st century. Patients with CKD and T2D experience accelerated vascular aging and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This premature vascular aging, caused by a combination of traditional and disease-specific risk factors, is characterized by a broad spectrum of lesions, including arterial stiffness and vascular calcification, intimal-medial thickening and accelerated atherosclerosis. Although treatments exist, the management of such multifaceted disease is far from personalized.
Compelling evidence suggests that calprotectin, a damage associated molecular pattern protein, could be both a biomarker and a therapeutic target, with available drugs, in vascular aging associated with CKD and T2D. In the transnational, multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral EU-Calprotect project we aim to move beyond the current state-of-the-art for future clinical implementation of calprotectin as a companion biomarker with associated drug to slow-down premature vascular aging. We aim to reach this goal by combining studies in large patient cohorts (> 21,000 participants) and randomised preclinical trials in animal CKD and T2D models and health economic evaluation of the associated economic burden and inequalities.
The EU-Calprotect project is of particular importance, as the proposed approach will enable a more comprehensive assessment and personalised management in individuals with CKD and T2D, tailored to their specific needs, to mitigate their increased CV risk.