This photo taken on October 23, 2023, shows boxes of Ozempic, an injectable anti-diabetic drug, at a pharmacy in Ridisheim, eastern France.
Sébastien Bozon | AFP | Getty Images
Novo NordiskThe company’s blockbuster drug Ozempic reportedly reduces the risk of kidney disease progression and related health complications in people with diabetes Preliminary late-stage trial results Published on Tuesday.
Ozempic reduced the risk of kidney disease progression and death from renal or cardiovascular complications by 24% in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease compared with placebo.
These results add to growing evidence that the popular injection and similar weight-loss drugs have wider health benefits for patients, in addition to treating type 2 diabetes and aiding weight loss. Although insurance coverage is spotty and expensive, these treatments have surged in popularity over the past year.
Novo Nordisk said it will release full data from the study later this year. The company also noted that it will apply to expand Ozempic’s approval based on U.S. and European data.
Chronic kidney disease will be a huge additional treatment opportunity for Ozempic. About 40% of people with diabetes also have this disease. This disease involves a gradual loss of kidney function.
Notably, the Danish company ended the trial in October, a year earlier than expected, due to the positive results.
The trial, called FLOW, first launched in 2019, followed approximately 3,500 patients with diabetes and moderate to severe chronic kidney disease.
The data comes as Novo Nordisk faces increasing competition Eli Lilly and Company and is trying to win expanded insurance coverage for its separate weight-loss shot, Wegovy.
Last year, a late-stage trial of Wegovy showed it could reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 20%.
Clarification: This article has been updated to reflect trial information clarified by Novo Nordisk in an earlier press release.
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