Novo Nordisk reported a post hoc subgroup analysis from STEP UP showing MRI-measured liver fat fell from 8.8% to 3.1% at week 72 in semaglutide-treated adults with obesity without diabetes. Of 26 participants with baseline liver fat >5%, 23 (88.5%) dropped below the 5% threshold by week 72. A pooled analysis of 1,919 adults showed most participants were at high risk for fatty liver at baseline; investigators caution these are post hoc results to be interpreted in context.
Wegovy Reduces Liver Fat in STEP UP Subgroup Analysis, Novo Nordisk Reports
Medical research testing ©Hagerty Ryan, USFWS
Novo Nordisk presented a post hoc subgroup analysis from its STEP UP trial showing that treatment with Wegovy (semaglutide) was associated with substantial reductions in liver fat among adults with obesity who did not have diabetes.
The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Milan, Italy.
Subgroup MRI Results: The imaging-based analysis included 55 participants who underwent magnetic resonance imaging to quantify liver fat. Among those treated with semaglutide, mean liver fat decreased from 8.8% at baseline to 3.1% at week 72.
Of 26 participants who started the study with liver fat above the 5% threshold, 23 (88.5%) had liver fat below 5% by week 72.
Pooled Analysis Across STEP UP Program: Investigators also reported a pooled analysis of 1,919 adults drawn from the STEP UP and STEP UP T2D trials. In that pooled cohort, 1,312 participants received semaglutide 7.2 mg, 304 received semaglutide 2.4 mg, and 303 received placebo. At baseline, more than 94% of participants across treatment arms were classified as being at high risk for fatty liver by the Fatty Liver Index.
'This analysis showed that semaglutide reduced liver fat and was linked to better overall liver health in adults with obesity,' said Eric Lawitz, MD, of the Texas Liver Institute and University of Texas Health San Antonio.
Limitations and Context: These results come from a post hoc subgroup analysis and a pooled dataset, and were not generated by a trial specifically designed or powered for liver-fat endpoints. As the investigators emphasized, the findings should be interpreted in the context of that study design rather than as definitive evidence of effect on liver disease.
Regulatory and Development Notes: Wegovy is approved for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in jurisdictions that include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and China. Novo Nordisk noted that the 7.2 mg semaglutide dose evaluated in parts of the STEP UP programme is not being pursued as a treatment for MASH.
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