Drug reduces liver fat

NEW YORK (HealthDay News) — A repurposed diabetes drug has shown efficacy against fatty liver disease, according to a clinical trial published June 4 in The BMJ. Dapagliflozin helped reduce liver fat and prevent the progression of liver scarring in patients with metabolically associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

“We found that 48 weeks of treatment with dapagliflozin led to a significant improvement in MASH without worsening (scarring), compared to placebo,” said Huijie Zhang, director of endocrinology and metabolism at Nanfang Hospital in Guangzhou, China. The study involved 154 patients treated at six Chinese hospitals between November 2018 and March 2023. Results showed that 53% of patients taking dapagliflozin improved without worsening liver scarring, compared to 30% in the placebo group.

Additionally, “about 23% of people taking dapagliflozin experienced complete resolution of their fatty liver disease,” the researchers reported.

Furthermore, liver scarring improved in 45% of those receiving the drug, compared to 20% of the control group. "These results support the potential for dapagliflozin to provide benefits to patients with MASH and liver scarring," the team concluded.

The treatment was well tolerated, and no significant side effects were detected, the authors noted. This is the first clinical trial testing the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with biopsy-confirmed MASH, a condition that affects more than 5% of adults globally and more than 30% of people with obesity or diabetes.

At a glance

Dual treatment

Dapagliflozin controls blood sugar and reduces liver damage, which benefits patients with diabetes and MASH.

Global disease

Fatty liver disease is a condition that affects more than 5% of adults globally, and more than 30% of people with obesity or diabetes, according to studies.