Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic slashed the risk of kidney disease progression in trial

Biotech
Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 3:22 pm EDT

Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic showed promise in treating chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients, according to early results from a large ongoing trial. The drug reduced the risk of kidney disease progression, heart problems, and death by 24% compared to a placebo in patients with both type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. This adds to evidence that injectable drugs like Ozempic might have wider health benefits beyond diabetes and weight loss. These drugs have become increasingly popular despite limited insurance coverage and high costs.

Novo Nordisk plans to release the full study results later in 2024 and seek approval to expand Ozempic’s use for treating chronic kidney disease in both the US and Europe. Chronic kidney disease affects roughly 40% of diabetics and is a major potential market for Ozempic. The trial, named FLOW, was stopped early due to positive results and involved over 3,500 patients with diabetes and moderate to severe chronic kidney disease.

This news comes as Novo faces competition from Eli Lilly and seeks wider insurance coverage for their weight-loss drug Wegovy. Wegovy, which uses the same active ingredient as Ozempic, also showed promise in reducing heart attack and stroke risk in a separate late-stage trial last year.

For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/05/novo-nordisk-ozempic-cuts-risk-of-kidney-disease-progression.html