MASH
The company unveiled plans last week to test its GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist in alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related liver disease.
The Maryland-based biopharma joins Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk in trialing a GLP-1 agonist for alcohol- and liver-related conditions.
Eli Lilly inked two collaborations on Monday, one focused on cardiometabolic diseases with South Korea’s OliX Pharmaceuticals and another for cancer therapies with Australia’s AdvanCell.
After missing the primary endpoint in the Phase IIb SYMMETRY trial, Akero Therapeutics’ lead molecule, efruxifermin, showed greater improvements after 96 weeks of treatment in an advanced disease population.
Seeking Alpha analyst Terry Chrisomalis regards Viking Therapeutics as the most attractive M&A candidate in 2025, bolstered by its strong obesity candidate VK2735 and largely de-risked MASH therapy VK2809.
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, X4 Pharmaceuticals and Day One Biopharmaceuticals secured their maiden approvals this year in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, WHIM syndrome and pediatric low-grade glioma. Geron Corporation and ImmunityBio also notched wins.
Already established as cornerstone therapies in diabetes and obesity, GLP-1 receptor agonists also show potential in several other indications, including cancer, addiction and neurodegenerative diseases.
Galectin’s shares tanked in premarket trading Friday after the biotech revealed its lead asset missed the primary endpoint for its Phase IIb/III trial for patients with a type of liver cirrhosis.
Readouts from Novo Nordisk and Viking Therapeutics at AASLD 2024 strengthen the argument for GLP-1 therapies as an emerging backbone of MASH treatment, with the potential to combine it with other drug classes to achieve deeper responses, according to BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman.
Boston Pharma’s once-monthly injection efimosfermin alfa offers a convenient dosing option for MASH patients while also achieving promising rates of fibrosis and MASH improvement, according to a Phase II readout.
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