Ozempic reduces risk of death from kidney disease, major study finds

The active compound in the top-selling drug Ozempic significantly reduces the risk of complications from chronic kidney disease, according to a multi-year study released Friday — a finding that could significantly expand the pool of patients eligible for the shots.

Funded by Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk and involving 3,533 patients worldwide, a study released in Stockholm at the European Renal Association meeting and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that patients receiving semaglutide – the key ingredient – experienced a 24 percent reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular and kidney disease compared to those who received a placebo. The finding proved so striking that the company announced in October it was stopping the trial early, sending shares of some dialysis companies tumbling.