Weight-loss injections such as Ozempic and Wegovy, also known as semaglutide, could help combat kidney disease, potentially saving thousands from requiring dialysis or a transplant, according to recent research. These drugs were initially developed to treat diabetes but have also proven incredibly effective at fighting obesity, with patients on the highest doses losing up to a fifth of their weight.
There is now consideration for their use as a treatment for chronic kidney disease (CKD) by the NHS, in an attempt to tackle the growing problem. CKD, a disease that gradually worsens kidney function, affects approximately 7.2 million Britons, a figure expected to increase significantly over the next decade mainly due to the escalating cases of high blood pressure and obesity.
With the number of CKD patients requiring dialysis treatment also expected to quadruple, the resultant cost to the taxpayer could amount to £5 billion a year. However, early treatment with semaglutide could be a revolutionary solution, preventing the health service from being overwhelmed.
World renowned kidney researcher, Professor Katherine Tuttle, has said that with the use of this drug, we could save countless lives and potentially halt the progress of the disease. The breakthrough could change the way kidney disease is treated and comes at a crucial period for the disease management.
While it’s common for patients with high blood pressure and diabetes to develop CKD, the disease can also increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which are the most common causes of death among advancing CKD patients.
Semaglutide are part of a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, developed almost two decades ago for type 2 diabetes. These drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone in the gut that assists with the release of insulin. The suppressed appetite side effect has led to weight loss, attracting the praise from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which has in turn led to a surge in usage for weight loss, creating a shortage in supply despite its potential benefits to diabetics.
Interestingly, other benefits have been discovered in the use of GLP-1 drugs. A US study in 2018 found that kidney disease patients experienced a significant reduction in albumin in their urine, a sign usually attributed to poorly functioning kidneys. Another study noted that diabetic patients with kidney disease saw their condition stabilise after taking semaglutide. These studies suggest that the drug could be most effective on severe kidney damage cases, offering significant relief to patients waiting for a kidney transplant.
Despite the evident effectiveness of semaglutide on kidney disease, the reason for its pronounced effect remains unknown. Professor Tuttle postulates that GLP-1 drugs might have an anti-inflammatory effect and could be protecting patients from internal damage to the organ. Long-term treatment could even potentially repair the existing damage.
If semaglutide is approved for CKD treatment, it would likely be administered alongside other kidney drugs such as empagliflozin and dapagliflozin. Those drugs have proven to reduce the risk of CKD progression and death by nearly a third.
However, there is a worldwide shortfall of semaglutide precipitated by its demand as a weight loss treatment, endorsed by famous personalities such as Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey. Although the NHS expects this shortage to persist into 2025, private weight-loss clinicians have been urged to reserve the drug for diabetes care due to the high demand among dieters.
One kidney disease patient already benefiting from semaglutide treatment is Dawn Cerruto. After being diagnosed 26 years ago, she underwent dialysis for three years before receiving a transplant, and later developed diabetes which led her to start taking semaglutide. She appreciates that the injection could prevent her kidney disease from worsening and emphasizes the critical need for the drug for patients with essential health needs like hers, as opposed to those using it simply for weight loss.
