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.

Just how much Medicare price negotiations will negatively impact Novo Nordisk, though, depends on what the final negotiated prices for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus will be. In Medicare's negotiations for 2026, the new prices achieved an average of 22% savings.

The new treatment targets gut hormone GLP-1 but also mimics amylin, a hormone released by the pancreas that suppresses hunger.

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.

A handout photo shows a nine-month supply of Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic which was purchased by an individual from online pharmacies in the UK for "off-label" use for weight loss and stored in his refrigerator at home in London,

Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday the U.S. FDA has approved its blockbuster drug Ozempic to lower the risk of progression of chronic kidney disease and the organ's failure, and death due to heart problems in adults with type 2 diabetes.