Diabetes Drug & Liver Disease: New Hope?
- Dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor commonly used for type 2 diabetes, is showing potential in treating progressive liver disease.
- The study indicated that dapagliflozin improved metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a condition characterized by excess liver fat and inflammation, as well as liver fibrosis, which involves the buildup...
- MASH impacts over 5% of adults and more than 30% of individuals with diabetes or obesity.
Dapagliflozin, a type 2 diabetes drug, is showing real promise in the fight against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and liver fibrosis. A recent clinical trial revealed that this SGLT-2 inhibitor improved liver conditions for many patients.The study,conducted in China,highlights the potential for this drug to become a key player in treating liver disease,impacting over 5% of adults. This groundbreaking research, covered by News Directory 3, indicates significant betterment in both MASH and liver fibrosis. The results suggest a potential shift in how we approach liver health. Discover what’s next in this exciting area of medical research.
Diabetes Drug Shows Promise for Liver Disease Patients
Updated June 4, 2025
Dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor commonly used for type 2 diabetes, is showing potential in treating progressive liver disease. A clinical trial conducted in china and published in The BMJ revealed these findings regarding metabolic dysfunction.
The study indicated that dapagliflozin improved metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a condition characterized by excess liver fat and inflammation, as well as liver fibrosis, which involves the buildup of scar tissue. This SGLT-2 inhibitor could represent a important advance in liver disease treatment.
MASH impacts over 5% of adults and more than 30% of individuals with diabetes or obesity. In as many as 25% of individuals, it can advance to cirrhosis.Prior research suggested SGLT-2 inhibitors could reduce liver fat, improve liver enzymes, and decrease liver stiffness, but trials focused on MASH patients were lacking.
Researchers enrolled 154 adults, with an average age of 35 (85% men), diagnosed with MASH via liver biopsy across six Chinese medical centers between November 2018 and March 2023. Almost half had type 2 diabetes, and nearly all presented with liver fibrosis.
Following an initial screening biopsy, participants were randomly assigned to either 10 mg of dapagliflozin or a placebo daily for 48 weeks, alongside bi-annual health education sessions. Throughout the trial, factors such as body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, liver enzymes, physical activity, diet, insulin, and lipids were monitored.
MASH improvement was defined as a decrease of at least two points in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) or a NAS of three points or less. After 48 weeks, 53% of participants in the dapagliflozin group showed MASH improvement without fibrosis worsening, compared to 30% in the placebo group.
Resolution of MASH without worsening fibrosis occurred in 23% of the dapagliflozin group versus 8% in the placebo group. Furthermore,45% of dapagliflozin recipients experienced fibrosis improvement without MASH worsening,compared to 20% in the placebo group.
Only 1% of the dapagliflozin group discontinued treatment due to adverse events, compared to 3% in the placebo group. The researchers noted the trial’s limitations, including its focus on a Chinese population and under-representation of female and older patients. Though, they emphasized the consistency of results across further analyses.
The researchers concluded, ”Our findings indicate that dapagliflozin may affect key aspects of MASH by improving both steatohepatitis and fibrosis.” They advocate for larger, long-term trials to validate these effects. This study highlights the potential of dapagliflozin as a diabetes drug with benefits for liver fibrosis.
An editorial linked to the study suggests the coming years will be exciting for MASH pharmacological treatments.As more drugs become available, therapeutic decisions will likely become increasingly tailored to individual patient profiles. Ideally,such treatments should provide cardiovascular benefit,have an established safety profile,and be accessible to broad and diverse patient populations.
What’s next
Future research should focus on larger, more diverse populations over extended periods to confirm dapagliflozin’s long-term efficacy and safety in treating MASH and liver fibrosis.