Lilly reports mid-stage win for tirzepatide in fatty liver disease

Eli Lilly's Tirzepatide Shows Promise in Fatty Liver Disease: A Mid-Stage Trial Success

Eli Lilly reports promising results from a phase two trial of their highly popular drug, tirzepatide, in the treatment of fatty liver disease. Tirzepatide, known under the brand names Zepbound and Mounjaro, demonstrated potential benefits for patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). In the trial, patients receiving tirzepatide were more likely to become free of MASH with no worsening of liver scarring than those receiving a placebo.

Key findings from the trial include:

- At all doses, tirzepatide met the trial's primary goal of helping patients become MASH-free with no worsening of liver scarring.
- Approximately 74% of patients receiving the highest 15 mg dose of tirzepatide became MASH-free with no worsening of liver scarring, compared to about 13% of those receiving a placebo.
- The trial showed that tirzepatide reduced liver scarring, but the extent of the reduction was not as clear as the ability to help patients become free of MASH.
- Gastrointestinal side effects were common, but decreased with continued treatment.

Additionally, in a previous study, tirzepatide led to greater improvements in liver fat content compared to insulin degludec in adults with type 2 diabetes. The potential of tirzepatide as a treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is also being studied.

With these mid-stage trial results, Lilly's tirzepatide is now positioned as a potential treatment option for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, where no current therapies are approved.