- Question
- To determine whether semaglutide, added to usual care, reduces the risk of major kidney and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
- Design
- Phase 3, randomized, quadruple-masked, placebo-controlled trial with 3533 participants. Median follow-up was 3.4 years, and the trial was stopped early on the recommendation of a prespecified interim analysis.
- Population
- Adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, defined by an eGFR of 50 to 75 ml/min/1.73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >300 and <5000, or an eGFR of 25 to <50 ml/min/1.73 m2 with a ratio >100 and <5000.
- Intervention
- Subcutaneous semaglutide 1.0 mg once weekly (1767 patients).
- Control
- Subcutaneous placebo (1766 patients).
- Primary outcome
- Major kidney disease events: a composite of onset of kidney failure (dialysis, transplantation, or eGFR <15 ml/min/1.73 m2), at least a 50% reduction in eGFR from baseline, or death from kidney-related or cardiovascular causes.
- Results
- The risk of the primary outcome was 24% lower with semaglutide (331 vs. 410 first events; HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.88; P = 0.0003). Cardiovascular death was also lower (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.89).
- Safety
- Serious adverse events were less frequent with semaglutide than with placebo (49.6% vs. 53.8%).
- Conclusion
- Semaglutide reduced the risk of clinically important kidney outcomes and cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
- Why it matters
- It provided evidence that a GLP-1 receptor agonist can protect both the kidneys and the heart in a high-risk population, broadening treatment options beyond glycemic control.
Card generated automatically with AI from the abstract of the original publication and the trial registry; every figure was checked against those sources. It may contain errors: verify the data at the source before using it for clinical decisions.
Generated on October 14, 2026