SphingoTec’s PenKid leads the way in early detection of delayed graft function after kidney transplant

Ella Day | July 1, 2025 | News story | Medical Communications, Research and Development |  Nephrology, PenKid, SphingoTec, biomarker, clinical trial, delayed graft function, kidney replacement therapy, kidney transplant, serum creatinine 

SphingoTec has announced new findings validating the clinical utility of its kidney biomarker proenkephalin A 119-159 (PenKid) in assessing graft function trajectories following kidney transplantation. The study, published in Transplant International, positions penKid as a highly reliable and early predictor of delayed graft function (DGF), surpassing traditional biomarkers such as serum creatinine (SCr) in both accuracy and clinical relevance.

The multicentre research, led by Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany, and supported by an independent validation cohort from Sydney, Australia, evaluated 159 consecutive kidney transplant recipients. Results demonstrated that PenKid achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.87 for detecting DGF on day 1 post-transplant, significantly outperforming creatinine (AUROC of 0.56).

PenKid was also able to differentiate between slow graft function (SGF) and DGF up to eight days earlier than current methods, offering earlier risk stratification and supporting timely intervention.

Unlike SCr, PenKid levels remain unaffected by kidney replacement therapy, enabling accurate kidney function assessment even in patients undergoing dialysis. The biomarker also emerged as the strongest independent predictor of both short-term graft function and 30-day outcomes in multivariate analysis, reinforcing its potential to refine clinical decision-making.

PenKid’s integration into transplant protocols could improve personalised patient care and improve overall outcomes for kidney recipients.

Ella Day

1/7/25