Wegovy is now the second FDA-approved treatment for MASH fibrosis

[yomearsoperson]

Wegovy is now the second FDA-approved treatment for MASH fibrosis.

A Needed New Treatment for MASH
MASH, which used to be called NASH, is a severe form of fatty liver disease.

Some people don’t have any symptoms, but others may experience inflammation and scarring of the liver (fibrosis). Over time, this fibrosis can turn into cirrhosis, which is serious and permanent scarring.

According to the FDA, about 6% of U.S. adults, or 15 million people, are diagnosed with MASH.

The condition is getting more common: a 2025 study predicts the number of liver transplants will increase four times by 2050.

In 2024, Rezdiffra (resmetirom) became the first FDA-approved treatment for MASH-related fibrosis.

It helps slow down the buildup of fat in the liver and reduce liver damage, but it doesn’t fix other metabolic problems or lead to weight loss.

Wegovy, on the other hand, targets the root metabolic issues.

“Not only do you get benefits for the liver, but you also lose weight. People feel better about themselves when they lose weight, and they know they’re helping their liver,” said Robert Fontana, MD, a hepatologist and professor of medicine at the University of Michigan.
How Well Does Wegovy Work for MASH?

The approval is based on part one of a three-part study testing Wegovy for MASH.

The study found that MASH completely went away in 63% of people in the treatment group, with no worsening of fibrosis, compared to 34% in the placebo group. Meanwhile, around 37% of those taking Wegovy saw improvement in liver fibrosis and no worsening of MASH, compared to 22% in the placebo group.

Studies of MASH treatments look at both outcomes to check if scarring improves, as well as liver fat and inflammation.

“This is a medical breakthrough,” Fontana said.
“My colleagues and I have done studies for 20 years trying drugs, and they would fail because they wouldn’t improve both inflammation and fat, and stop fibrosis from getting worse. It’s a high bar to reach.”

Part two of the trial will test whether Wegovy improves cirrhosis-free survival rates compared to a placebo group over five years.