University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) spinoff Reliant Glycosciences will present new research at the European Renal Association (ERA) 2026 Congress in Glasgow, June 3–6.
Based on the work of UAB professor Jan Novak, Ph.D., and his colleagues, the research could help doctors better predict kidney failure risk in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a chronic kidney disease.
The study analyzed data from 245 adults with IgAN through a collaboration with the NIH-sponsored Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network. Researchers found that every 1 percent increase in levels of galactose-def deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) in the blood was associated with a 1.3 percent increase in the risk of kidney failure over an average follow-up period of 8.5 years.
Jan Novak, Ph.D.
The biomarker was measured using Reliant Glycosciences’ GalD™ Assay, a standardized blood test developed to measure Gd-IgA1, a key driver of IgAN disease progression. The findings establish changes in Gd-IgA1 levels as an independent predictor of kidney failure risk in IgAN patients.
The research comes as several new therapies for IgAN are entering late-stage clinical trials or reaching the market, increasing demand for reliable biomarkers that can help physicians identify high-risk patients and monitor treatment response.
Measuring Gd-IgA1 has been difficult because of variability between testing methods, limiting its usefulness in clinical research and patient care. Reliant Glycosciences designed the GalD™ Assay to provide more consistent and reproducible measurements.
Reliant Glycosciences is working to expand access to the GalD™ Assay to research laboratories worldwide and is collaborating with clinical researchers and drug developers focused on IgAN treatment and disease monitoring.
The company says its long-term goal is to improve outcomes for IgAN patients by developing more accurate diagnostic and monitoring tools.
-- May 29, 2026