The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) Ozempic medication to treat kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes.
The FDA approval expands the use of the Danish company’s diabetes treatment within the U.S. market. The drug is already approved to treat Type 2 diabetes.
The FDA’s decision means Ozempic can now be used to also reduce the impacts of kidney disease, kidney failure, and death from cardiovascular disease in patients who have diabetes.
The decision could transform how doctors treat patients with chronic kidney disease, which involves a gradual loss of kidney function and is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.
Nearly 40 million Americans are living with chronic kidney disease, said Novo Nordisk in a written statement. European regulators approved Ozempic for the same use last December.
Diabetes is a leading risk factor for kidney disease. Roughly 40% of Type 2 diabetes patients also have kidney disease, which can cause other issues such as cardiovascular problems.
The expanded use of Ozempic also demonstrates that a class of diabetes and weight loss drugs known as “GLP-1s” have health benefits that go beyond regulating blood sugar and suppressing people’s appetites.
The FDA’s decision to expand the use of Ozempic also comes as Novo Nordisk faces increased competition from its U.S. pharmaceutical rival Eli Lilly (LLY), which makes competing drugs.
In clinical trials, Ozempic reduced the risk of kidney failure, reduction in kidney function, or death from kidney or heart disease by 24% in diabetic patients, said Novo Nordisk.
The stock of Novo Nordisk has declined 22% in the last 12 months to trade at $85.19 U.S. per share.
