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.

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.

Ozempic belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists and has the same active ingredient as the company's popular obesity drug Wegovy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval was based on data from a late-stage study,

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

Just how much Medicare price negotiations will negatively impact Novo Nordisk, though, depends on what the final negotiated prices for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus will be. In Medicare's negotiations for 2026, the new prices achieved an average of 22% savings.

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