Proactive Investors - Novo Nordisk (CSE:NOVOb) said diabetes patients have been able to prevent the onset of chronic kidney disease in trials of semaglutide, which it sells under the Ozempic and Wegovy brands.
The Danish drug giant hailed the headline results from its FLOW trial which reduced kidney disease progression, major adverse cardiovascular events and death by 24% compared to placebo.
Around 40% of people with type 2 diabetes have chronic kidney disease.
It stopped the trials on 3,533 people a full year before it was meant to finish, with approval by an independent committee, after results showed the drug was generating a statistically significant and superior impact.
"We are very excited about the results from FLOW showing that semaglutide 1.0 mg reduces the risk of kidney disease progression,” said Martin Holst Lange, the company's executive vice president for drug development said in a statement.
Shares in the company fell 2.6% on the Denmark stock exchange after the news emerged late on Tuesday morning, and were down 1.6% at $125.85 in pre-market trading in the US.