Obesity drugs could slow the progression of kidney disease, study shows

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The GLP-1 receptor agonist drug, Semaglutide, may protect kidneys and reduce the progression of kidney disease in those with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, according to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).

More than 350,000 people in the Million Veteran Program participated in the gene-association study. The program is a research initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to VUMC.

The study found that “higher expression of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) gene was associated with a lower risk of kidney disease progression.

One of the co-authors of the study, Adriana Hung, MD, MPH, said “the drugs could become part of the guideline-directed medical therapy to prevent kidney disease progression beyond the context of diabetes.” Hung is a professor of Medicine at VUMC and the medical director of dialysis services at the Nashville VA Medical Center.

The report was published October 25 in the journal JAMA Network Open.

According to the National Institute of Health, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are a class of medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The drugs can help lower serum glucose levels and manage metabolism in affected patients.