A Novo Nordisk Phase 3 trial found that 37% of adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis who received once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 milligrams showed improvement in liver fibrosis without worsening steatohepatitis, a disease that causes the body to store excess fat in the liver.
The trial involved 1,200 adults with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis and assessed the effects of semaglutide over 72 weeks in the first part, which included 800 randomized participants, according to an Nov. 1 news release from the company.
The results indicated that 37% of participants receiving semaglutide showed improvement in liver fibrosis, compared to 22.5% in the placebo group. In addition, 62.9% of those treated with semaglutide achieved resolution of steatohepatitis without worsening liver fibrosis, versus 34.1% on the placebo.
Novo Nordisk intends to file for regulatory approvals in the U.S. and European Union in the first half of 2025, with detailed results expected to be shared at a scientific conference in 2024, the release said.