Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic: A Promising Treatment for Chronic Kidney Disease
Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic, known for its weight-loss side effects, has shown promise in helping patients with chronic kidney disease, according to a study funded by the pharmaceutical company.
A weekly, one-milligram injection of semaglutide—the active ingredient in Ozempic and the weight-loss drug Wegovy—was found to reduce the combined risk of major kidney complications, including kidney failure, cardiovascular events, and death from any cause by 24% in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. This study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, highlights the potential of semaglutide as a multi-faceted treatment.
“These benefits reflect important clinical effects on kidney, cardiovascular, and survival outcomes among high-risk patients, particularly given the reassuring safety findings, and support a therapeutic role for semaglutide in this population,” the study’s authors stated.
The results stem from a late-stage clinical trial that Novo Nordisk concluded early last October after an independent monitoring committee confirmed Ozempic’s efficacy in treating chronic kidney disease. The trial included 3,533 participants with kidney disease and type 2 diabetes over 3.4 years. Half of the participants received semaglutide, while the other half were given a placebo.
Following these promising results, Novo Nordisk plans to request the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand Ozempic’s label to include the treatment of chronic kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease affects an estimated 37 million Americans, or about one in seven adults, according to the National Institute of Health.
This news comes on the heels of the FDA’s expanded approval of Wegovy on March 8, following a clinical trial that demonstrated the drug’s ability to reduce the risk of serious heart events by 20%. This approval reflects the growing recognition of semaglutide’s benefits beyond diabetes and weight loss, highlighting its potential to address other significant health concerns.