(Adds details on the trial, background)
July 28 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca Plc said on Tuesday
its diabetes treatment Farxiga met the main goal in a late-stage
trial testing the drug's effectiveness in treating patients with
chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The treatment showed statistically significant improvement
in worsening renal function or risk of death in CKD patients
when compared to placebo, the company said.
Farxiga, among AstraZeneca's top five drugs by sales, was
first developed as a diabetes drug as it causes the kidneys to
expel blood sugar from the body through urine, but it has shown
promise as a heart failure treatment, even among non-diabetic
patients.
CKD is a serious, progressive condition defined by decreased
kidney function and affects nearly 700 million people worldwide.
The trial also met all of its secondary goals in CKD
patients with and without type-2 diabetes, AstraZeneca said.
(Reporting by Aakash Jagadeesh Babu in Bengaluru: Editing by
Bernard Orr)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
