Wegovy improves multiple liver indicators in non-obese liver disease patients, and Novo Nordisk (NVO.US) is expected to expand its market beyond weight loss
Novo Nordisk reports that some patients treated with Wegovy have shown improvements in liver conditions.
Zhitong Finance APP has learned that Novo Nordisk (NVO.US) stated on Sunday that its weight-loss drug Wegovy is associated with improvements in several liver health indicators among subjects with a severe liver disease and a body mass index (BMI) below 27. For investors, this result suggests that Wegovy could cover liver disease treatment in non-obese patients, potentially expanding its commercial scope beyond weight management. The drug has previously received accelerated approval from the FDA for certain MASH patients, but its continued approval may depend on whether its clinical benefits can be confirmed.
This result comes from an additional analysis of the company's phase 3 ESSENCE trial, involving 106 patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)—a disease characterized by fat accumulation, inflammation, and scarring in the liver.
After 72 weeks of treatment, patients receiving weekly injections of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) showed greater improvement in liver enzymes ALT and AST compared to the placebo group—elevated levels of these enzymes can indicate liver damage. Researchers also reported improvements in ELF and PRO-C3, two blood markers associated with liver scarring (i.e., liver fibrosis). Another measurement of liver stiffness showed a favorable numerical trend, but the result did not reach statistical significance.
The above results were presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) annual meeting held in Denver. Novo Nordisk emphasized that this retrospective analysis is exploratory and requires further validation.
The ongoing ESSENCE trial has enrolled a total of 1,197 patients and is expected to evaluate over 240 weeks whether semaglutide can reduce serious liver-related complications. Wegovy's label carries a black box warning about the potential risk of thyroid tumors, including cancer.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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The US FDA requires semaglutide, tirzepatide, and other GLP-1 drugs to include new warnings about the risk of eye disease.
NAION is an eye disease that can cause sudden, painless loss of vision, with some patients potentially experiencing permanent visual impairment. The drugs involved include products from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. According to analysts at Citi, the incidence of NAION is relatively low, and given the significant benefits of GLP-1 drugs in weight control and blood sugar management, the actual impact on prescription behavior is expected to be limited. On Monday, the stock prices of Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk increased, with the news not causing any significant impact on their share prices.
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