Weight Loss Drug Wegovy Shows Significant Improvement in Fatty Liver Disease
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
A new analysis of Wegovy trial data shows the weight-loss drug significantly reduced liver fat in patients with fatty liver disease, with nearly 90% achieving normal levels after 72 weeks. The findings suggest semaglutide may offer therapeutic benefits for liver health beyond weight loss.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Wegovy significantly reduced liver fat in patients with fatty liver disease.
- Nearly 90% of participants saw normal liver fat levels after 72 weeks.
- The drug also showed promise in improving fibrosis and inflammation in MASH patients.
- Experts highlight the link between obesity, metabolic disease, and fatty liver.
- Further research is needed, as the analysis was post-hoc and lacked placebo data.
A new analysis of data from Novo Nordisk's Wegovy (semaglutide) trials indicates the weight-loss injection significantly reduced liver fat in patients suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), also known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The study, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting in Milan, found that 88.5% of 26 participants with excess liver fat saw their fat levels return to normal after 72 weeks of treatment with a high dose of semaglutide (7.2 mg, Wegovy HD).
On average, liver fat content decreased from 8.8% to 3.1%, a reduction of nearly two-thirds, as measured by specialized MRI scans. This dosage is three times the standard Wegovy dose of 2.4 mg. The data was derived from the STEP UP trial, which initially focused on weight loss in adults with obesity but without diabetes. Participants in this subset lost an average of 18.7% of their body weight with the high dose, compared to 15.6% with the standard dose and 3.9% with a placebo.
Dr. Eric Lewis of the Texas Liver Institute, a lead author of the data review, stated that semaglutide may help treat early-stage liver disease before it progresses to more severe health issues affecting the heart, kidneys, and metabolic health. He noted that up to three out of four people with obesity suffer from excess liver fat. Dr. Idit Dotan, Director of Diabetes and Obesity Treatment at Rabin Medical Center in Israel, emphasized that fatty liver disease is part of a systemic metabolic condition and requires a comprehensive treatment approach addressing multiple risk factors.
Further data from Novo Nordisk's ESSENCE trial, involving patients with MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) and moderate to advanced fibrosis, showed that Wegovy (2.4 mg) led to a higher rate of improvement in fibrosis without worsening inflammation, and resolution of inflammation without worsening fibrosis, compared to placebo. While Wegovy (2.4 mg) is approved for MASH in several countries, the higher 7.2 mg dose is not being tested for this specific indication.
It is important to note that the liver fat data analysis was a post-hoc examination of a subset of trial participants and has not yet been fully published in a peer-reviewed journal. Novo Nordisk did not provide data on the placebo group's liver fat changes, limiting direct comparison. The majority of participants had mild fatty liver disease without advanced scarring, meaning the findings may not apply to patients with more severe conditions.