Scientists share liver disease reversal in new trials
Arun Sanyal, MD, director of the VCU Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, discusses clinical trials involving 800 participants.
Using semaglutide injections, scientists were able to reverse life-threatening cases of liver disease in a new clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Semaglutide, a traditional treatment for type 2 diabetes, was administered to participants diagnosed as a life-threatening form of liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
“This is a huge step forward in this area,” said Arun Sanyal (MD), director of the VCU Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Diseasy and Metabolic Health, in a video from VCU. “When we think about treating fatty liver disease, we offer patients additional options.”
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Mash is a severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, according to WebMD.
Mash is a severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (istock)
Both mash and MASLD are marked by excess fat in the liver, which is dangerous.
“Over time, liver fat accumulation can lead to inflammation, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer,” a press release on the study said.
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Researchers chose to investigate semaglutide as a potential treatment as this class of drugs has been shown to reduce fat and liver scars in people with mash previously.
Between 2021 and 2023, 800 randomly selected participants in 37 countries received a single injection of semaglutide or placebo, the press release said. Over half had type 2 diabetes, and about 75% were obese.
Participants treated with semaglutide had improved weight loss by 10.5% with liver enzymes and other blood measurements of liver fibrosis. (istock)
After 72 weeks of treatment, 62.9% of participants had less inflammation and fat accumulation in the liver.
In the placebo group, only 34.3% of participants experienced a reduction in symptoms.
“Under the microscope of these patients, the liver actually starts to look significantly better,” Sanyal said.
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The researchers also found that 36.8% of the semaglutide group saw improvement in liver fibrosis compared to 22.4% in the placebo group.
Participants treated with semaglutide also found improved hematologic measurements for liver enzymes and liver fibrosis, as well as weight loss of 10.5%.
“I’ve been undergoing GLP-1 treatment for 16 years and these results are extremely exciting.”
Some disadvantaged experiences were more common in the semaglutide group, including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting.
“Novo Nordisk continues to explore semaglutide across metabolic and cardiovascular health, including Mash, a condition in which patients and healthcare professionals have limited treatment options,” Anna Windle, senior vice president of clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs at Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, provided Fox Numes Digital.
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“We are encouraged to see these findings published on NEJM and what this means to patients. Based on these data, we look forward to working with regulators to bring this potential new treatment option to patients.”
“Though these results need to be treated with caution, analysis shows that semaglutide may be an effective tool for treating this advanced liver disease,” the study leader said. (istock)
“Though these results need to be treated with caution, analysis shows that semaglutide may be an effective tool for treating this advanced liver disease,” said Professor Philip Newsom, Director of the King’s College Liver Research Institute during the release.
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“I’ve been on GLP-1 treatment for 16 years and these results are very exciting,” he added.
Sanyal noted that Semaglutide had previously been shown to be beneficial for obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
“Now we can add liver disease to that list.”
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Looking ahead, the researchers will collect data from approximately 1,200 participants in 37 countries for up to five years to determine the impact of semaglutide on long-term liver complications.
