Can a charcoal pill delay dialysis? large trial tests AST-120

NCT ID NCT00501046

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Tanabe Pharma Corporation Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This large Phase 3 trial tested whether AST-120, a spherical carbon adsorbent taken as a pill, can slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. Over 1,000 adults with moderate to severe kidney disease were randomly assigned to receive AST-120 or a placebo, in addition to their standard care. The study measured how long it took for patients to need dialysis, receive a kidney transplant, or have their kidney function worsen significantly.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: AST-120 (spherical carbon adsorbent)
What this could lead to: If it works, AST-120 could help delay the need for dialysis or kidney transplant in people with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease.
What could go wrong: This is a completed Phase 3 trial, but results may not show a clear benefit over standard care. The treatment may cause side effects or not slow kidney decline for everyone.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

chronic kidney disease chronic renal failure syndrome kidney disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Study site

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
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Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States
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Bakersfield, California, United States
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Glendale, California, United States
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Los Angeles, California, United States
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Palo Alto, California, United States
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Riverside, California, United States
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Denver, Colorado, United States
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Boynton Beach, Florida, United States
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West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
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Augusta, Georgia, United States
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Macon, Georgia, United States
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Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
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Evergreen Park, Illinois, United States
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Shawnee Mission, Kansas, United States
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Kenner, Louisiana, United States
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Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
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Pontiac, Michigan, United States
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Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, United States
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Flushing, New York, United States
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Great Neck, New York, United States
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New York, New York, United States
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Williamsville, New York, United States
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Elizabeth City, North Carolina, United States
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Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
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Bend, Oregon, United States
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Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
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Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States
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Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
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Providence, Rhode Island, United States
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Charleston, South Carolina, United States
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Columbia, South Carolina, United States
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Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States
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Sumter, South Carolina, United States
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Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
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Nashville, Tennessee, United States
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Dallas, Texas, United States
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Houston, Texas, United States
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Arlington, Virginia, United States
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Fairfax, Virginia, United States
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Norfolk, Virginia, United States
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Richmond, Virginia, United States
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Suffolk, Virginia, United States
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Vancouver, Washington, United States
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Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
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Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Córdoba, Argentina
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San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Botucatu, Brazil
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Campinas, Brazil
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Curitiba, Brazil
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Ibirapuera, Brazil
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Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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São Paulo, Brazil
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Sorocaba, Brazil
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Greenfield Park, Quebec, Canada
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Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Hradec Králové, Czechia
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Liberec, Czechia
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Prague, Czechia
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Ústí nad Labem, Czechia
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Hamburg, Germany
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Kiel, Germany
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Mainz, Germany
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Aguascalientes, Mexico
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Cuernavaca, Mexico
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Durango, Mexico
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Mexico City, Mexico
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México, Mexico
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Bialystok, Poland
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Częstochowa, Poland
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Lublin, Poland
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Warsaw, Poland
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San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Arkhangelsk, Russia
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Chelyabinsk, Russia
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Kemerovo, Russia
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Moscow, Russia
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Novosibirsk, Russia
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Orenburg, Russia
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Petrozavodsk, Russia
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Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Saratov, Russia
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Tomsk, Russia
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Yaroslayl, Russia
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Yekaterinburg, Russia
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A Coruña, Spain
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Asturias, Spain
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Barcelona, Spain
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Guadalajara, Spain
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Madrid, Spain
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Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
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Kharkiv, Ukraine
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Kiev, Ukraine
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Luhansk, Ukraine
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Lviv, Ukraine
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Mykolayiv, Ukraine
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Poltava, Ukraine
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Ternopil, Ukraine
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Vinnitsa, Ukraine
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Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine

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