A Research Study to Find Out How Semaglutide Works in the Kidneys Compared to Placebo, in People With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (the REMODEL Trial)

Summary

We are doing this study to learn more about how semaglutide may help fight chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes. We are doing this by looking into how semaglutide works in the kidneys. Participants will either get semaglutide or placebo (a 'dummy' 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 into the skin once a week. The study will last for about 1 year. Participants will have 11 visits to the clinic, and 2 phone visits. Some of the visits could be in different locations. Study staff will take blood samples at most of these visits. At 9 visits, participants will be asked to bring a sample of their first morning urine. At 4 of the visits participants will have to bring urine that they have collected over the last 24 hours. The study includes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of participants' kidneys which is a test that shows a detailed picture of organs and other parts inside the body. The scan will last for 30 minutes, and is free of radiation.

Timeline

Start

2021-04-28

Primary completion

2024-11-21

Completion

2024-11-21

Publications

• Pruijm M, Belmar N, Bjornstad P, Cherney DZI, Das V, Gunnarsson T, Hodgin JB, Schytz PA, Tuttle KR, Kretzler M. REMODELing mechanistic trials for kidney disease: a multimodal, tissue-centered approach to understand the renal mechanism of action of semaglutide. Kidney Int. 2026 Jan;109(1):6-16. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2025.10.005. Epub 2025 Nov 7.
• Natale P, Green SC, Tunnicliffe DJ, Pellegrino G, Toyama T, Strippoli GF. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Feb 18;2(2):CD015849. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD015849.pub2.
• Mendonca L, Moura H, Chaves PC, Neves JS, Ferreira JP. The Impact of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists on Kidney Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trials. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2025 Feb 1;20(2):159-168. doi: 10.2215/CJN.0000000584. Epub 2024 Oct 8.

Drugs

Indications