Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a drug-and-supplement combination therapy that is capable of reducing the harmful effects of senescent cells – also known as “zombie cells” – in diabetic kidney disease.

In eBioMedicine, a publication of The Lancet, the team reported that the combination of the cancer drug dasatanib and a naturally occurring substance known as quercetin decreased inflammation and boosted protective factors in the kidney.

Diabetic kidney disease affects more than 12 million people in the U.S. and is the leading cause of kidney failure. While newer treatments can delay loss of kidney function, there is currently no cure.