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LONDON — Novo Nordisk’s diabetes medication Ozempic cut the risk of patients developing advanced kidney disease or dying from kidney or heart complications, the company said Tuesday, adding to the evidence the wildly popular drug has broader health benefits for patients beyond addressing their diabetes.

Overall, Ozempic lowered the risk of progression of patients’ kidney disease and of related health events by 24% versus placebo, according to the topline results. The company, which will present full data from the study later this year, said it would file for an expanded approval of Ozempic based on the data in both the U.S. and Europe.

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The positive announcement had been expected since October, when Novo announced it was ending the FLOW trial early because an interim data analysis showed the drug was surpassing the study’s goals. Still, the results provide an important data point for Novo both as its medicines face increasing competition and as it tries to get more insurers to cover its related obesity drug Wegovy. 

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