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,

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,

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