Pegozafermin effectively lowers liver fat and blood lipid levels in NASH patients: Lancet

The key findings of this study were;

1. Mildly increased hunger, which was not linked with weight gain and occurred in ten (16%) of the 63 people in the pooled pegozafermin group but not in any of the 18 participants in the pooled placebo group, was the most frequent treatment-related side event. 

2. Due to a negative incident, two patients stopped their treatment (one each in the 27 mg once weekly and 18 mg once every 2 weeks groups). 

3. There were no fatalities or major adverse effects linked to the treatment. We noticed dose-proportional pharmacokinetics. 

4. Of the 63 subjects who received pegozafermin, anti-drug antibodies were found in 41 (65%). 

5. By week 13, pegozafermin significantly decreased the absolute differences in hepatic fat fraction measured using least squares means (LSM) compared to a combined placebo.

In conclusion, Pegozafermin should be examined in more detail in NASH patients.

Reference: 

Loomba, R., Lawitz, E. J., Frias, J. P., Ortiz-Lasanta, G., Johansson, L., Franey, B. B., Morrow, L., Rosenstock, M., Hartsfield, C. L., Chen, C.-Y., Tseng, L., Charlton, R. W., Mansbach, H., & Margalit, M. (2022). Safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of pegozafermin in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1b/2a multiple-ascending-dose study. In The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2468-1253(22)00347-8