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.