Semaglutide may double the resolution rate of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with stage 2 or 3 fibrosis, a Novo Nordisk-funded study across 37 countries suggests.

The phase III trial interim results covered 534 patients given once-weekly semaglutide 2.4mg and 270 given placebo, with both offered lifestyle counselling and management of comorbid conditions.

Published in The New England Journal of Medicine last week, they showed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) resolution after 17 months was 63% with semaglutide treatment compared with 34% with placebo.

Resolution of steatohepatitis was defined as a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease score of 0 for hepatocyte ballooning and 0-1 for lobular inflammation.