Top line
Novo Nordisk’s injectable weight-loss semaglutide — the ingredient in its wildly popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy — may also help protect the kidneys, according to a new study, a finding that bolsters the growing public health case for of the drug amid ongoing concerns about costs and supply shortages. .
Semaglutide could help fight kidney disease, researchers say.
Highlights
The results come from an analysis of data from the Select trial of semaglutide, which lasted several years.
Select, funded by Novo, is Wegovy’s longest-running clinical trial and includes a group of 17,604 overweight or obese adult participants over the age of 45 from 41 countries.
Researchers found that there were 22% fewer people with kidney problems among the cohort of nearly 9,000 people receiving weekly semaglutide injections compared to the group receiving a placebo, a relative incidence of 1.8 % and 2.2%, respectively.
Researchers looked at a variety of kidney problems, including kidney-related death, significant decline in kidney function, initiation of chronic renal replacement therapy, and the onset or persistence of macroalbuminuria (high levels of protein albumin in urine).
Semaglutide’s ability to combat the latter condition, the onset of macroalbuminuria, is likely a key factor in reducing the risk of kidney-related complications, the researchers said.
Patients taking semaglutide also showed a significantly smaller decrease in a key indicator of kidney function called estimated glomerular filtration rate, which was particularly pronounced in those with low baseline values, indicating impairment, the researchers said. , suggesting the drug could help protect people with pre-semaglutide. existing renal deficiencies.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We run text alerts so you’ll always be aware of the biggest stories making headlines of the day. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
Tangent
Kidney damage has been reported as a potential side effect of taking semaglutide and is listed as a potential risk on the drug’s Food and Drug Administration label. However, in this latest trial, researchers said they found no increased risk of acute kidney injury related to semaglutide treatment. This occurred regardless of baseline kidney function, the researchers added.
News
Novo Nordisk ended a separate kidney disease trial of the drug last year, much earlier than initially planned, because of the positive results. The trial, called FLOW, found a 24% reduction in kidney disease events in patients taking semaglutide compared to placebo. Obesity and diabetes both contribute to kidney damage, and the success of weight-loss drugs, along with early data suggesting greater kidney benefits, has dented the stocks of dialysis companies.
Key context
The findings add to a growing pile of evidence suggesting that the health benefits of popular weight loss injections extend well beyond obesity, itself a disease known to have a considerable impact on mind and body. In addition to obesity and diabetes, diseases that GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide were initially used to treat, Wegovy now includes its cardiovascular benefits on its label. A myriad of other conditions are also being studied, including sleep apnea, addiction, anxiety, Parkinson’s disease and fatty liver disease. The market-leading data that Novo and Eli Lilly – which produce tirzepatide, marketed under the names Mounjaro and Zepbound – are able to generate under other conditions is key to helping them maintain an edge over their competitors as they are working to market their first products and build an audience. A health argument for the authorities who are dragging their feet in financing medicines.
Further reading
News Source : www.forbes.com
Gn Health
