Tangram Therapeutics plc has submitted a clinical trial application (CTA) to the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to initiate a phase I/II trial of TGM-312 for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
Mursla Bio Ltd. recently entered a partnership with an unnamed large pharmaceutical company to use its AI Precision Medicine platform to help with drug development and ultimately develop companion diagnostics. The collaboration uses Mursla’s platform ability to isolate and analyze extracellular vesicles from a simple blood sample, to provide biologically labelled, multiomics data to improve patient stratification, monitor treatment and develop companion diagnostics.
Phase II data being presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases annual meeting indicate drug development in the field of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is making steady progress.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. announced Oct. 27 that its glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, efpeglenatide (HM-11260C), met the co-primary endpoints in a phase III study of obese adults without diabetes.
Purdue Research Foundation has identified conjugates targeting asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGR) that are comprised of a therapeutic or imaging agent. They are reported to be potentially useful for the diagnosis and/or treatment of nonalcoholic or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (NASH/MASH).
In one of the biggest deals of the waning year, Novo Nordisk A/S is buying Akero Therapeutics Inc. to bolster its metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-treatment portfolio. In the $5.2 billion deal, Akero brings its fibroblast growth factor 21 analogue, efruxifermin, which is in a phase III study for treating those with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis and those with cirrhosis.
The dash for MASH is gaining momentum, with Roche AG acquiring 89bio Inc. and its phase III FGF21 analogue, pegozafermin, for treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, in a deal worth up to $3.5 billion. The Swiss pharma is to pay $14.50 per share, valuing San Francisco-based 89Bio at $2.4 billion, a premium of approximately 52% to 89bio’s 60-day average price on Sept. 17, 2025. Shares of 89bio (NASDAQ:ETNB) gained $6.88, or 85%, to close Sept. 18 at $14.96.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) now affects over a third of adults worldwide. Its progressive form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), is a leading driver of cirrhosis, cancer and liver transplants while often coexisting with diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
The fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analogue space took another turn as Novo Nordisk A/S said during its second-quarter financial update that work with zalfermin (NNC0194-0499) will be discontinued. A phase II study testing the compound in combination with glucagon-like peptide-1 therapy failed to hit the primary endpoint related to liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), without MASH worsening.
