The U.S. FDA has approved Novo Nordisk's Ozempic for reducing the risk of kidney failure and disease progression, as well as death due to heart problems in diabetes patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD),

Ozempic, or semaglutide, can now be used to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease or kidney failure in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, Novo Nordisk said.

(Reuters) - Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday the U.S. FDA has approved its diabetes drug Ozempic to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease and death due to cardiovascular disease in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Ozempic’s expanded approval in the U.S. could transform how doctors treat patients with the condition, which involves a gradual loss of kidney function.

Last month, the European Medicines Agency allowed Novo to add risk reduction for events related to kidney disease to the label of Ozempic.

The new treatment targets gut hormone GLP-1 but also mimics amylin, a hormone released by the pancreas that suppresses hunger.

Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday the U.S. FDA has approved its blockbuster drug Ozempic to lower the risk of progression of chronic kidney disease and the organ's failure, and death due to heart problems in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) said its popular diabetes drug Ozempic, or semaglutide, has been approved for the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Read more here.

Regulators have approved the drug as a treatment for weight loss, Type 2 diabetes and lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.