PHOENIX, Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Istios Health, a healthcare technology and clinical research company, today announced a partnership with Arkansas Renal Group, P.A., establishing a presence in Arkansas and further expanding its national cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) clinical research network. The collaboration brings Istios’s research infrastructure and technology into an established independent nephrology practice serving patients across west-central and southern Arkansas.
Headquartered in Hot Springs, Arkansas Renal Group provides comprehensive nephrology care through its practices in Hot Springs, El Dorado, Camden and Russellville, along with additional clinics serving surrounding communities. Michael S. Gersch, M.D., will serve as principal investigator, leading the practice’s clinical research program with support from Istios’s research operations team and Navigator technology platform.
As drug development increasingly focuses on the connections between chronic kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, nephrologists play a central role in advancing CKM research. Their clinical expertise and long-standing patient relationships position them to identify eligible patients and evaluate emerging therapies within the communities they serve.
“Nephrology continues to be a cornerstone of our CKM research strategy, and Arkansas Renal Group is an exciting addition to our network,” said Nikos Nikolopoulos, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Istios Health. “Dr. Gersch and his colleagues have established a strong presence across communities that have historically had limited access to clinical research. By pairing their clinical expertise and patient relationships with our research capabilities, we can expand access to innovative therapies while helping sponsors reach important patient populations.”
Through the partnership, Istios will integrate research operations into Arkansas Renal Group’s existing clinical infrastructure. Its Navigator platform will support patient identification, protocol feasibility and trial planning, using longitudinal clinical data to identify relevant patient populations and inform study opportunities. Istios will also oversee study coordination, regulatory activities and sponsor engagement, allowing physicians to focus on patient care and clinical oversight.
“Many of our patients are managing kidney disease alongside conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, where continued advances in treatment are critical,” said Michael S. Gersch, M.D., Principal Investigator at Arkansas Renal Group. “Our partnership with Istios gives us the infrastructure and support to bring clinical research into our practice, expanding access to emerging therapies while allowing patients to remain under the care of physicians they know and trust.”
The addition of Arkansas Renal Group further strengthens Istios’s ability to conduct research within independent specialty practices, extending clinical trial access to patient populations often underrepresented in traditional research settings. The partnership also advances Istios’s broader strategy of developing regional centers of excellence supported by integrated clinical operations, technology and longitudinal patient data to serve life sciences sponsors across the drug development lifecycle.
About Istios Health
Istios Health is a healthcare technology and clinical research company building regional centers of excellence focused on cardiometabolic, immunology and rare disease research. Through partnerships with independent specialty practices, Istios combines coordinated research operations, longitudinal clinical data and its Navigator platform to support clinical development, post-market studies and real-world evidence generation across the product lifecycle.
About Arkansas Renal Group
Arkansas Renal Group, P.A. is an independent nephrology practice headquartered in Hot Springs, Arkansas, providing specialized kidney care across west-central and southern Arkansas. Through its network of physician practices and community-based clinics, the group delivers comprehensive care for patients with kidney disease, including management of chronic kidney conditions and support for patients receiving hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The practice also operates an outpatient procedure center in Hot Springs, extending its capabilities beyond traditional office-based nephrology care.
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