(NewsNation) — Novo Nordisk’s widely used diabetes drug Ozempic delayed the progression of chronic kidney disease in diabetes patients, a late-stage study found, cutting the risk of death from kidney and cardiovascular complications by 24% compared to a placebo.
The results indicate that popular injection and weight loss drugs, which suppress appetite by mimicking gut hormones, have health benefits for patients beyond Type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
Around 40% of people with Type 2 diabetes have chronic kidney disease and some 700 million patients are affected globally, according to the Novo Nordisk.
Novo ended the trial in October, nearly a year ahead of schedule, in response to positive results.
“The trial achieved its primary endpoint by demonstrating a statistically significant and superior reduction in kidney disease progression as well as cardiovascular and kidney death of 24% for people treated with semaglutide 1.0 mg compared to placebo,” Novo said in a statement on Tuesday.
The trial, called FLOW, started in 2019 and involved roughly 3,500 patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate to severe chronic kidney disease.
Novo Nordisk said it will present full data from the study later this year. The company also noted that it would file for an expanded approval of Ozempic based on the data in the U.S. and Europe.
Novo is not the only one testing a diabetes therapy from the GLP-1 drug class for additional medical benefits. Rival Eli Lilly is currently enrolling patients for a planned trial of whether its drug, tirzepatide, can help fight chronic kidney disease in obese people with or without Type 2 diabetes.
Reuters contributed to this story.