The weight loss and diabetes drug has now expanded its coverage. The FDA has given Ozempic the ability to treat kidney disease.

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Karah Rucker Anchor

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FDA approves Ozempic to treat kidney disease, creating a trifecta of uses

Jan 29

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

The weight loss and diabetes drug making headlines has now expanded its coverage, the Food and Drug Administration has given Ozempic the green light to treat chronic kidney disease. Ozempic has gained the reputation of being a weight loss booster, but it’s expanding its health benefits once again.

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FDA grants approval for Ozempic to treat kidney disease

Novo Nordisk, the company behind the injection, announced the decision on Tuesday, Jan. 28, which makes the drug one of the most versatile semaglutide medications available.

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Ozempic was initially approved in 2017 to help glucose levels for those living with Type 2 diabetes. The FDA later expanded Ozempic’s benefits to aid in helping to combat heart disease.

“This approval for Ozempic allows us to more broadly address conditions within cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, which affects millions of adults and could have serious consequences if left untreated.”

Anna Windle, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at Novo Nordisk.

In a press release, Novo Nordisk said 37 million adults in the United States are losing the ability to properly use their kidneys, and 40% of them are also considered diabetic.

Decision based on 2019 study

The FDA made its decision based on data from a study started in 2019 involving 3,500 patients with diabetes and kidney disease. Over the course of the study, patients were given a shot of 1 mg of semaglutide.

Results showed a 24% drop in major kidney and heart-related incidents when compared to the placebo.

The risk of a heart attack also dropped another 18%, and death risks went down another 20%. Experts said cardiovascular deaths were cut by 29%.

The European Union issued a similar approval to Ozempic for 27 of its countries in October of 2024.

Tags: Diabetes, FDA, Health, Heart attack, Medication, Novo Nordisk, Obesity, Ozempic, Study, Weight Loss

[Karah Rucker]

THE WEIGHTLOSS AND DIABETES DRUG MAKING ALL THE HEADLINES…HAS NOW EARNED FDA APPROVAL FOR SOMETHING NEW: TREATING KIDNEY DISEASE.

OZEMPIC GAINED THE REPUTATION FOR BEING A WEIGHTLOSS BOOSTER, BUT ITS HEALTH POTENTIAL HAS EXPANDED ONCE AGAIN.

NOVO NORDISK–THE COMPANY BEHIND THE INJECTION— ANNOUNCED TUESDAY’S DECISION MAKES THE DRUG ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE SEMAGLUTIDE MEDICATIONS AVAILABLE.

OZEMPIC WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED IN 2017 TO HELP GLUCOSE LEVELS FOR THOSE LIVING WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES. THREE YEARS LATER, THE FDA EXPANDED OZEMPIC’S COVERAGE TO AID IN HEART DISEASE.

NOW, DOCTORS CAN GIVE PATIENTS OZEMPIC TO TREAT CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, KIDNEY FAILURE AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DYING FROM HEART DISEASE .

NOVO NORDISK SAYS 37 MILLION ADULTS IN THE U-S ARE LOSING THE ABILITY TO PROPERLY USE THEIR KIDNEYS–40 PERCENT OF WHICH ARE DIABETIC.

THE FDA’S DECISION WAS BACKED BY DATA FROM A 2019 STUDY TESTING 35 HUNDRED PATIENTS WITH DIABETES AND KIDNEY DISEASE AGAINST OZEMPIC’S ABILITY TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH.

WITH MULTIPLE DOSES OF A ONE MILLIGRAM SHOT, OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, RESULTS SHOWED A 24 PERCENT REDUCTION IN MAJOR KIDNEY AND HEART RELATED INCIDENTS WHEN COMPARED TO A PLACEBO

ON TOP OF THAT, THE RISK OF A HEART ATTACK DROPPED ANOTHER 18 PERCENT AND DEATH RISKS WENT DOWN 20–WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DEATHS CUT BY NEARLY 30 PERCENT.

THE EUROPEAN UNION ISSUED SIMILAR APPROVAL TO OZEMPIC FOR 27 OF ITS COUNTRIES IN OCTOBER.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER.

FDA approves Ozempic to treat kidney disease, creating a trifecta of uses

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