A major clinical trial, known as the FLOW trial, has delivered definitive evidence that semaglutide provides significant protection against severe kidney outcomes and death for people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, position the drug as a critical intervention for this high-risk patient population.

The study was a large-scale, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 3,533 participants. Patients were administered either a weekly 1.0 mg dose of subcutaneous semaglutide or a placebo. The primary goal was to determine the drug's efficacy in preventing a composite of major kidney events (including kidney failure and a substantial loss of function) or death from kidney-related or cardiovascular causes.

The results were so positive that the trial was stopped early. After a median follow-up of 3.4 years, the semaglutide group showed:

A 24% lower risk of experiencing a major kidney disease event or death from cardiovascular or kidney-related causes compared to the placebo group.
A significantly slower rate of decline in kidney function over time.
Fewer serious adverse events than those in the placebo group.

The conclusion of the FLOW trial is unambiguous: semaglutide effectively reduces the risk of clinically important kidney outcomes and cardiovascular death in patients managing both type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, marking a major step forward in treatment.

Explore the full data from the trial that is set to change the future of CKD management. Read the full publication in the NEJM here.

FLOW Trial: Semaglutide Cuts Risk of Kidney Failure and Death by 24% in Diabetes Patients