OBJECTIVES: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a type of glomerular disease that causes nephrotic syndrome, leading to progressive renal impairment. MN can have various underlying causes and is classified into primary (~80%) or secondary (~20%) forms. This review aims to highlight the disease burden of MN including epidemiology, clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes, and identify unmet needs and gaps in current knowledge.

METHODS: A targeted literature search was conducted to identify relevant papers published between January 2013 and August 2023 in the following scope markets: US, UK, Germany, France, China, and Japan.

RESULTS: The incidence of MN ranges between 10 and 12 per million in North America and between 2 and 17 per million in Europe. No incidence rates were reported in China and Japan. Additional epidemiological findings on subgroups of interest, such as pediatric patients and phospholipase A2 receptor antibody positive (PLA2RAb+) patients, were also available. Approximately 16% of patients with primary MN progressed to end-stage renal disease, with 10% requiring dialysis and 4% requiring a kidney transplant. Among transplant patients, graft failure and mortality rates were 20% and 16%, respectively. PLA2RAb appears to be a key prognostic factor that is correlated with remission rates and used to guide treatment decisions. The humanistic burden of MN is largely uncharacterized. A lack of health-related quality of life data is likely to be a major limitation for payers. There is also an absence of comprehensive economic data across markets, which hinders the ability to accurately characterize the economic burden of MN.

CONCLUSIONS: MN presents significant epidemiological, clinical, and economic burdens. There are notable gaps in available publications, particularly for humanistic and economic impact, emphasizing the need for additional research to better inform treatment strategies and support payer decisions.