The blockbuster weight loss drug semaglutide can cut the progression of diabetic kidney disease, according to its manufacturer Novo Nordisk, adding to growing evidence that the medication has beneficial effects beyond treating Type 2 Diabetes and obesity.
Semaglutide — which is marketed under the name Ozempic for diabetes treatment and Wegovy for weight loss — managed to also reduce death from kidney disease and cardiovascular issues by 24 percent versus a placebo.
The results came from a Novo Nordisk clinical trial that had 3,533 participants with both diabetes and chronic kidney disease. High blood sugar from diabetes can damage kidneys and ultimately lead to chronic kidney disease, in which the organ has trouble filtering toxins from the blood.
Novo Nordisk plans on releasing further details on the study later this year.
Stopping the progressive damage from chronic kidney disease can go a long way toward preserving existing kidney function, keeping people off the organ transplant wait list if their kidneys fail. Having semaglutide as another tool in the arsenal for combating diabetic kidney disease could seriously help, because one out of three diabetic patients also have kidney disease.
Other studies on the benefits of semaglutide have demonstrated its potential to help beyond diabetics and people who need to lose weight, such as patients with alcoholism. Another study showed that the drug can reduce cardiovascular issues.
But before we get all too excited, semaglutide use has also been associated with severe digestive issues. And you may regain weight if you stop using it, though the other research has contradicted those findings.
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