Madrigal, 89Bio jump after Novo’s semaglutide shows promise in MASH

Shares of companies developing therapies for the liver disease metabolic steatohepatitis, or MASH, are rallying after Novo Nordisk (NVO) said its GLP-1 drug semaglutide showed “superior improvement” in treating the disease in a trial. Novo Nordisk announced the headline results from part 1 of the ongoing ESSENCE trial, a pivotal phase 3, 240-week, double-blinded trial in 1,200 adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, and moderate to advanced liver fibrosis. Part 1 of the ESSENCE trial evaluated the effect of once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg on liver tissue compared to placebo on top of standard of care for the first 800 randomized people at 72 weeks. The trial achieved its primary endpoints by demonstrating a statistically significant and superior improvement in liver fibrosis with no worsening of steatohepatitis, as well as resolution of steatohepatitis with no worsening of liver fibrosis with semaglutide 2.4 mg compared to placebo. “We are very pleased about the ESSENCE clinical trial results and the potential of semaglutide to help people living with MASH. Among people with overweight or obesity, one in three live with MASH. This has a serious impact on their health and represents a significant unmet need,” said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and head of Development at Novo Nordisk. Madrigal Pharmaceuticals (MDGL), which recently got approval for its drug Rezdiffra, is up $57.73, or 22%, to $317.07 while shares of other companies working in the space – 89Bio (ETNB) and Akero Therapeutics (AKRO) – have risen 16% and 1%, respectively.