Ozempic may help treat kidney disease, study finds

Semaglutide, a blockbuster drug compound Ozempic and WegsResults of a large clinical trial showing that a drug called ketamine dramatically reduces the risk of kidney complications, heart problems and death in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease were published Friday. The discovery could change the way doctors treat some of the most seriously ill patients with chronic kidney disease. More than 1 in 7 people The disease is spreading among adults in the United States, but there is no cure.

“Those of us who really care about kidney patients have spent our entire careers trying to find something better,” said Dr. Katherine Tuttle, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and an author of the study. “And this is the best we've seen.” The study was presented Friday at the European Society of Nephrology in Stockholm, where it was also published. New England Journal of Medicine.

The trial, funded by Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, was so successful that the company Stopped earlyDr. Martin-Horst Lange, Novo Nordisk's vice president of development, said the company will ask the Food and Drug Administration to update Ozempic's label to say it can also be used for: Reduce the progression of chronic kidney disease or complications in people with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is Major cause Chronic kidney disease occurs when your kidneys don't work the way they should. As the disease progresses, the kidneys become severely damaged and can no longer filter blood properly. This causes fluid and waste products to build up in the blood, which can worsen high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke, said Subramaniam Pennather, M.D., chief of nephrology at Michigan Medicine.

The study involved 3,533 people with kidney disease and type 2 diabetes, about half of whom received weekly injections of semaglutide and the other half received weekly placebo injections.

The researchers followed up with the participants an average of about three and a half years later and found that those who took semaglutide were 24% less likely to develop serious kidney problems, such as losing at least half of their kidney function or needing dialysis or a kidney transplant. There were 331 such events in the semaglutide group, compared with 410 in the placebo group.

People who received semaglutide were significantly less likely to die from cardiovascular disease or any cause, and their kidney function declined at a slower rate.

Kidney damage often occurs gradually, and symptoms typically don't appear until the disease is advanced. Doctors try to slow the decline in kidney function with existing medications and lifestyle changes, said Melanie Honig, M.D., a nephrologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who was not involved in the study. But even with treatment, the disease can progress to the point where patients need dialysis, a treatment that removes waste and excess fluid from the blood, or a kidney transplant.

The study participants were seriously ill. Dr. George Bakris, a professor at the University of Chicago Medicine and author of the study, said the serious complications seen in some study participants are more likely to occur in people with later stages of chronic kidney disease. Most of the trial participants were already taking medication for chronic kidney disease.

The findings are especially promising for people with advanced kidney disease: “We can help people live longer,” said Dr. Vlado Perkovic, a nephrologist and kidney researcher at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and another author of the study.

Though the data shows clear benefit, even researchers studying drugs like Ozempic aren't sure exactly how it affects the kidneys. One leading theory is that semaglutide may reduce inflammation that worsens kidney disease.

And the results come with some caveats: About two-thirds of the participants were men and about two-thirds were white because of chronic kidney disease, limitations of the study, the authors noted. have a disproportionate effect Black and Indigenous patients. Trial participants who took semaglutide were more likely to stop taking the drug because of gastrointestinal problems, a common side effect of Ozempic.

Doctors said they wanted to know whether the drug would work for people with kidney disease but not diabetes, and some doctors were skeptical that that might be the case. Long-term risks Taking semaglutide.

Still, the results are the latest evidence that semaglutide may have benefits beyond treating diabetes and reducing weight. Certified by Wegovy It has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in some patients. Scientists have also compared it with competing drugs such as Munjaro and Zepbound, for Various other conditionsThese include sleep apnea and liver disease.

Demand for Ozempic could increase even further if the FDA approves the new use. Repeated shortages.

“If I could offer this to my patients, I think it would be a game changer,” Dr. Honig said.