Wegovy treated a serious form of liver disease in a major clinical trial
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Wegovy Shows Promise in Treating Serious Liver Disease
Above: Wegovy (semaglutide), a Novo Nordisk drug being trialed for treating MASH, on Oct. 16, 2024. Image copyright: James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This breakthrough offers hope for millions of people suffering from a disease with limited treatment options. By addressing both liver inflammation and scarring while tackling the underlying metabolic issues, semaglutide could prevent MASH from progressing to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer. If approved by the FDA, it would change the treatment paradigm for MASH and possibly save countless lives.
Narrative B
While the results appear promising, important questions remain about the drug’s long-term effectiveness, how doctors would measure success, and how long patients would have to be treated. This is significant because MASH can be a lifelong condition, and these medications are not cheap. This is worth considering, as the improvements among those taking the placebo suggest lifestyle changes alone could help many patients.