On November 6 2025, results from the Phase III “FINE-ONE” trial were announced: the drug Finerenone (a non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist) significantly reduced the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) secondary to T1D by about 25 % over six months compared to placebo. (News-Medical)
Importantly, this appears to be the first new treatment in over 30 years that has shown efficacy in CKD specifically in T1D. (Medical Xpress)
The trial included 242 participants across 82 hospitals in nine countries. (Bayer)

Why this matters

Kidney disease is one of the major complications for people living with T1D: around 30 % will develop CKD. (PR Newswire)

UACR (protein in the urine) is a strong early-indicator of kidney damage and future risk of kidney failure or cardiovascular disease. Reducing UACR correlates with slowing the progression of kidney damage. (HCPLive)

Until now, most of the therapies for CKD in T1D have been borrowed from type 2 diabetes studies or have been decades-old; the targeted research for T1D has lagged. (Research)

This news doesn’t mean “cure” overnight—but it means real progress for a tangible and serious complication. That’s a win in the world of chronic disease management.

What to keep in mind

While reduction in UACR is a strong surrogate, actual outcomes like slower decline in kidney filtration, fewer dialysis cases or transplants will take longer to observe.

The study is relatively short (6 months) so long-term safety and durability remain to be confirmed. (SpringerLink)

As always, individual treatment decisions must be made in consultation with your healthcare provider. This is a promising therapy in trials, not yet a blanket change in standard of care everywhere (depending on region/approval status).

It underscores the importance of staying on top of kidney-health monitoring (e.g., into urinary albumin testing, blood pressure, glucose control) as part of the full T1D picture.

What this means for the ThriveWithType1 community

For people managing T1D, the “up-side” stories aren’t always about perfect blood sugars or no complications—they’re about incremental gains, research that opens doors, and new tools that give us more bets in our favour. Here’s how to lean into this update:

Take heart. This is a scientific signal that kidney disease in T1D is being targeted with therapies designed just for our population.

Keep doing the good work you already are: tight glucose control (to the extent possible), blood pressure management, regular kidney-function checks. Research gains help—but they don’t replace the foundation of daily self-care.

Stay informed. New treatments can shift the playing field. Worth discussing with your care team when and if these therapies become available in your region.

Share hope. Whether you’ve had T1D for decades or were just diagnosed, seeing progress helps. Encourage others in the community by talking about advancements, not just struggles.

Final thought

At ThriveWithType1 our mission is to empower people living with Type 1 diabetes with information, community, and coaching so that managing T1D becomes less of a burden—and more about thriving. This latest research on finerenone is one more piece of evidence that the horizon is shifting. Small steps add up, and while we still have a long way to go, this is a step we can celebrate.

Here’s to staying hopeful…and staying strong in the day-to-day too.