New Study Reveals Semaglutide's Promise in Treating Liver Disease

Recent findings from a Phase III clinical trial indicate that semaglutide, a medication traditionally used for diabetes management, shows significant effectiveness in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a serious liver condition.

The ESSENCE trial, conducted across 253 clinical sites in 37 countries, is the first of its kind to demonstrate the benefits of semaglutide for patients suffering from MASH, a severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which is often linked to obesity and other metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.

According to the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, semaglutide not only halted the progression of liver disease in approximately two-thirds of participants but also contributed to reversing liver damage. The study involved 800 participants who were randomly assigned to receive either a weekly injection of 2.4 milligrams of semaglutide or a placebo, along with lifestyle counseling.

Findings revealed that 62.9% of individuals in the semaglutide group experienced a reduction in liver inflammation compared to 34.3% in the placebo group. Additionally, improvements in liver fibrosis were observed in 36.8% of the semaglutide participants, while only 22.4% of those receiving the placebo reported similar benefits.

Alongside these improvements, participants receiving semaglutide also showed positive changes in liver enzyme levels and experienced an average weight loss of 10.5%. However, gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and constipation were reported more frequently among those treated with semaglutide.

One of the lead investigators noted the growing global prevalence of MASLD and highlighted the importance of these results, which provide new hope for individuals affected by this challenging condition. Although these findings are promising, further research is planned to explore the long-term effects of semaglutide on liver health, with a larger cohort being monitored over the next five years.

The trial's outcome not only underscores the potential of semaglutide as a therapeutic option for MASH but also reflects the urgent need for effective treatments for liver diseases, which currently lack approved medications.