Promising Early Results for Liraglutide in the Treatment of NASH

The search continues for pharmacologic treatments for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that are not only effective but also safe. Liraglutide — a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue — was approved by the FDA in 2010 for glycemic control in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes.

In the current industry-funded phase II trial, investigators in the U.K. randomized 52 patients with NASH to daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide 1.8 mg or placebo for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was definite resolution of histologic NASH, defined as disappearance of hepatocyte ballooning without worsening of fibrosis. Patients underwent liver biopsy at baseline and at the end of treatment.

Of the patients who underwent an end-of-treatm…