United States: A recent clinical trial demonstrates that the advanced weight loss medication Ozempic/Wegovy prevents as well as reverses fatty liver disease.
The percentage of patients who stopped their fatty liver disease progression (63%) while using semaglutide exceeded the placebo group (34%) in the clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine on April 30, as reported by HealthDay.
A Widespread Condition with Limited Treatments
The MASH, or fatty liver disease, affects 15 million Americans or 1 in 20 adults, according to researchers in background notes.
Clinical trial results give compelling proof that semaglutide helps MASH patients by improving their liver health combined with a treatment of metabolic factors driving disease progression, according to Dr. Arun Sanyal, who serves as director at the Virginia Commonwealth University Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health in his role as lead researcher.
The buildup of fat in liver tissue results in MASH by triggering an inflammatory response that generates scarring. Research at the Cleveland Clinic shows that MASH exists as a consequence of obesity and both type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol combined with high blood pressure.
Semaglutide, the main ingredient in diabetes and weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, may also reverse the signs of liver disease by reducing inflammation and scarring. CBS News' @DrLaPook has more on the new study's findings. pic.twitter.com/wmHBi8nO4i
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) April 30, 2025
This compound functions through its ability to replicate the physiological effects of the GLP-1 hormone, thereby regulating insulin levels and blood sugar, reducing appetite, and delaying food digestion.
Impressive Clinical Trial Results
The clinical trial enrolled 800 participants from 37 different countries with fatty liver disease-related liver scarring at moderate or severe levels and distributed participants randomly between semaglutide treatment and placebo for 72 weeks.
Studies found that semaglutide managed to reduce liver inflammation, and this treatment provided liver scarring improvement in 37% of patients, while only 23% of placebo recipients experienced such benefits.
Clinical results demonstrate that approximately one-third of patients treated with semaglutide presented both reduced inflammation and improved scarring, even though the placebo group exhibited only half of these outcomes.
The cutting-edge weight-loss drug Ozempic/Wegovy can stop and even reverse fatty liver disease, a new clinical trial has found. #liverhealth #Ozempic #Wegovy #weightloss #publichealth https://t.co/t7nXi7faeO
— HealthDay News (@HealthDayTweets) May 1, 2025
The research team pointed out that Semaglutide produced weight reduction benefits in addition to bettering liver function and improved cardiovascular health.
“By treating both liver disease and its metabolic causes, semaglutide offers a promising new approach for millions of patients,” Sanyal said.
FDA Approval on the Horizon
The U.S. government approves only one medicinal treatment of fatty liver disease under its jurisdiction as Rezdiffra (resmethrin), according to researchers. The drug activates a thyroid hormone receptor, which helps reduce the accumulation of liver fat in this receptor-activated process, as reported by HealthDay.
Novo Nordisk will apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve semaglutide as a treatment for fatty liver disease in the upcoming months, according to researchers.