Eli Lilly’s popular weight-loss and diabetes drug, tirzepatide (also known as Mounjaro), has shown promise in an early phase trial as an effective treatment for fatty liver. In this research, tirzepatide significantly decreased liver disease severity during its study period.
Fatty infiltration of the liver results in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. NASH can progress to lead cirrhosis and cancer; unfortunately there are currently no FDA-approved treatments available to manage NASH.
Weight Loss
Retatrutide showed significant success in reducing liver fat in individuals suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. A larger analysis is being undertaken.
Retatrutide, an injectable drug developed in Indianapolis by Biogen Idec and administered via intramuscular injection, helped people lose an incredible 58 pounds over 48 weeks in its latest trial – more weight than had ever been achieved prior to. Retatrutide may also serve as a potential diabetes and migraine medication.
Lilly executives stated during a conference call that new research indicates the drug could help treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Lilly intends to submit this data for publication by medical journals.
GLP-1 pills offer people with diabetes and obesity the opportunity to shed excess weight more efficiently, such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for diabetes management. Pfizer’s pill called Danuglipron is currently undergoing late-stage testing.
Blood Sugar Control
Tirzepatide, commonly prescribed to help treat weight loss and diabetes, has also demonstrated promising results in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). According to study results released Tuesday, Tirzepatide helped 74% of overweight or obese adults in midstage trials clear metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis without worsening liver scarring after 52 weeks, as reported in this trial study results.
This marks a breakthrough for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, which help with blood sugar control. Examples include Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro which have all already been approved by the FDA as treatment options for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Next steps will involve testing this effect in patients with advanced hepatitis, with hopes of halting MASH before it develops into fibrosis. Leerink analyst David Risinger was “encouraged” by these trial results and anticipates further details from phase three SYNERGY-NASH trial to be released this year.
Liver Function
Retatrutide, an experimental weight loss drug, helped some participants in its larger study to experience reductions in liver fat. If approved by authorities, retatrutide could potentially help obese individuals reduce long-term cardiac, metabolic and liver damage caused by obesity, according to VCU professor Sanyal.
Lilly’s star diabetes and weight loss drug tirzepatide, sold under the names Mounjaro and Zepbound, was shown to improve symptoms associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) among obese or overweight adults who received treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonist. 74% experienced improvements when treated using this GLP-1 receptor agonist.
MASH can lead to scarring of the liver, known as fibrosis. Tirzepatide showed promise for decreasing excess fat accumulation from certain patients during sub-study trials; however, further trials will need to be conducted to confirm its efficacy in preventing fibrosis prevention. Lilly continues its research for tirzepatide and orforglipron for later-stage testing.
Side Effects
Retatrutide, being developed under its brand name, led people in its mid-stage trial to lose an average of 24% of their bodyweight, as well as reduce liver fat in 9 out of 10 patients.
The weekly injection mimics two naturally produced hormones in the body – glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide or GIP – which work to slow stomach emptying, making people feel full. They also help suppress hunger signals to decrease hunger signals.
Tirzepatide, sold under the names Mounjaro and Zepbound by Lilly, has been approved by the FDA as an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. Additionally, it may be used off-label to help obese or overweight individuals shed excess pounds more efficiently.
Dr. Louis Aronne, an associate professor of gastroenterology at Weill Cornell Medicine, noted the need for more research into long-term risks and benefits associated with these drugs. According to him and others, use of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic blood sugar-control pill and Lilly’s Mounjaro has been linked with an intestinal blockage disorder known as Ileus.
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