Diabetes drug offers hope for advanced liver disease
In a significant medical breakthrough, researchers from King's College London have found that semaglutide, a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, can halt and even reverse liver damage in patients suffering from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a severe and potentially life-threatening liver disease.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved 800 participants across 37 countries, making it one of the largest trials of its kind. Participants were randomly given either a 2.4 mg weekly injection of semaglutide or a placebo, along with standard lifestyle counselling.
After 72 weeks, the findings were highly encouraging:
• 62.9% of patients in the semaglutide group saw a reduction in liver inflammation (steatohepatitis), compared to just 34.3% in the placebo group.
• Around 37% of patients on semaglutide showed improved liver fibrosis, a condition involving scarring of liver tissue, versus 22.4% of those on placebo.
Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are known to reduce fat in the liver and curb liver scarring. The drug also led to an average weight loss of 10.5% among patients, further benefiting those with underlying metabolic conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes—both of which are closely linked to liver disease.
MASH is a more aggressive form of Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously termed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). MASLD is driven by excessive fat buildup in the liver and is associated with serious health risks, including cardiovascular disease.
Professor Philip Newsome from King's College London, who led the study, remarked, 'MASLD is a growing problem worldwide and this trial will provide real hope for patients with MASH. While these results must be treated with caution, the analysis shows semaglutide can be an effective tool to treat this advanced liver disease.'
Despite the optimism, the researchers acknowledged some side effects, primarily gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation, which were more frequent among those on semaglutide.
With the prevalence of MASLD on the rise globally, these findings could represent a turning point in how liver disease is treated, particularly in patients with few existing options for intervention.
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