Diabetes Drug Dapagliflozin Shows Promise for Liver Disease

Updated june 07, ⁤2025

Dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor commonly used for type 2 ⁢diabetes, is showing potential benefits for individuals with ‍progressive liver disease.A⁢ clinical trial published June 4 in The BMJ revealed the⁣ drug’s positive effects.

The study, conducted in china, 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.

MASH affects more than 5% of⁣ adults and over 30% of those with ⁤diabetes or obesity.In up to 25% of individuals, it can advance to cirrhosis.

To investigate the effects of dapagliflozin⁤ on MASH,⁤ researchers enrolled 154 adults (average age 35; 85% men) diagnosed with⁤ MASH following a liver biopsy. The participants were recruited from six medical centers in China between November 2018⁣ and March 2023.

Nearly half (45%) of the participants had type 2 diabetes, and almost all exhibited liver fibrosis, with varying stages of severity ⁢(33%‍ stage 1, 45% stage 2, 19% stage 3).

participants were randomly assigned to recieve either 10 mg of dapagliflozin or a⁤ placebo daily⁣ for 48 ⁤weeks. They also⁢ attended health education sessions twice annually. Researchers monitored factors such as body weight, blood pressure,⁢ blood glucose, liver ⁤enzymes, physical activity,‍ diet, insulin, and lipids throughout the trial.

MASH improvement was defined as a decrease of at least 2 points in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) or a NAS of 3 points ‍or less.

After 48 weeks, 53% of participants in the dapagliflozin group showed improvement in MASH without worsening of fibrosis, compared to 30% in the placebo group. Resolution of MASH without worsening of fibrosis occurred in 23% of the dapagliflozin‍ group, ⁤versus 8% in ⁢the placebo group. Additionally, 45% of the dapagliflozin group experienced fibrosis improvement without MASH worsening, ⁢compared to 20% in the placebo group.

Only 1% of participants in the dapagliflozin group ⁣discontinued treatment due to adverse events, compared to 3% in the placebo group.

The researchers acknowledged the study’s limitations, including its focus on a Chinese population and‍ under-representation of female and older patients. However, they noted that consistent results across analyses ⁢suggest the findings are reliable.

The researchers concluded that dapagliflozin may ‍positively influence key aspects of ⁤MASH by improving both steatohepatitis and fibrosis.They called for larger, long-term trials to further validate these effects.

What’s next

Researchers anticipate significant advancements in⁢ pharmacological treatments for MASH in the coming years, with therapeutic decisions becoming increasingly⁤ tailored to individual patient profiles. ⁤They emphasize⁤ the importance of treatments providing cardiovascular benefits, established safety profiles, and accessibility to ⁢diverse patient populations.