A Research Study to See How Semaglutide Works Compared to Placebo in People With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease

NCT03819153 · Completed

Last updated 2026-05-28

This study is testing whether the medication semaglutide works better than a placebo in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease to see if it can slow the decline in kidney function.

Status Completed The study has finished.

Phase Phase 3 Confirms effectiveness in a large group before approval.

Type Interventional (clinical trial)

Design Randomized, quadruple-blind treatment study

Participants 3,533 people

Who can join Ages 18+ · all sexes

Timeline Started 2019-06 · est. completion 2024-01

Where 413 sites · Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey (Türkiye), Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States

What this study is testing ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03819153 ↗

Description as written by the study sponsor.

The researchers are doing this study to see if semaglutide can slow down the growth and worsening of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes. Participants will get semaglutide (active medicine) or placebo ('dummy medicine'). This is known as participants' study medicine - which treatment participants get is decided by chance. Semaglutide is a medicine, doctors can prescribe in some countries for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Participants will get the study medicine in a pen. Participants will use the pen to inject the medicine in a skin fold once a week. The study will close when there is enough information collected to show clear result of the study. The total time participants will be in this study is about 3 to 5 years, but it could be longer.

Treatments tested

Semaglutide Drug

Participants are to inject semaglutide with a needle in the stomach, thigh or upper arm. Participants will use a pen to inject semaglutide under their skin. Participants will inject semaglutide 1 time a week on the same day of the week. Participants' dose of semaglutide will be changed over time. Participants start by taking a smaller amount (0.25 mg). After 4 weeks the dose will be increased to 0.5 mg. It will be increased more (to 1 mg) at 8 weeks. Participants will then stay on the same dose for the rest of the study.
Placebo (semaglutide) Drug

Participants are to inject placebo (semaglutide) with a needle in the stomach, thigh or upper arm. Participants will use a pen to inject placebo (semaglutide) under their skin. Participants will inject placebo (semaglutide) 1 time a week on the same day of the week. Participants' dose of placebo (semaglutide) will be changed over time. Participants start by taking a smaller amount (0.25 mg). After 4 weeks the dose will be increased to 0.5 mg. It will be increased more (to 1 mg) at 8 weeks. Participants will then stay on the same dose for the rest of the study.

Main thing measured	Number of Participants From Time of Randomization to First Occurrence of Onset of Persistent ≥50% Reduction in eGFR(CKD-EPI); Onset of Persistent eGFR(CKD-EPI) <15mL/Min/1.73m^2; Initiation of Chronic Renal Replacement Therapy; Renal Death; CV Death
Sponsor	Novo Nordisk A/S
Conditions studied	Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
GLP-1 drugs	semaglutide

Full protocol, eligibility, and contacts on ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03819153 ↗