New drugs for NASH

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a result of inflammation and hepatocyte injury in the presence of hepatic steatosis which can progress to cirrhosis. NASH is the most rapidly growing aetiology for liver failure and indication for liver transplantation in the United States. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia and metabolic syndrome. Because of the absence of approved pharmacotherapy, weight loss and lifestyle modifications remain the safest and most effective first-line treatment. However, this may not be effective in patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis and long-term adherence is difficult to achieve. Therefore, effective drugs are urgently needed for the treatment of NASH. Drug development targeting pathological pathways in NASH have exploded in the past decade, with numerous new drugs under investigation. This review summarizes the results of pivotal finalized phase 2 studies and provides an outline of key active studies with trial data of drugs under development.

Automated summary

NASH is a form of liver disease characterized by inflammation and hepatocyte injury in the presence of hepatic steatosis, potentially leading to cirrhosis. Although weight loss and lifestyle modifications are currently the first-line treatment, the development of effective drugs for NASH is urgently needed as these methods may not be effective in advanced cases. There has been significant growth in drug development targeting pathological pathways in NASH in the past decade.