NGM Bio’s NASH Drug Shows Promise, Shares Rise on Early Phase 2 Data
Summary
In what looks to be a transformative year for potential treatments of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, the liver disease better known as NASH, another biotech has revealed that its experimental drug appears to improve the condition compared to a placebo. NGM Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: NGM) revealed preliminary data on Monday showing that 22 percent of patients who received its experimental NASH drug, aldafermin, as part of the last of four cohorts enrolled in its Phase 2 study of the drug met a composite goal of an improvement in liver fibrosis, or scarring, and resolution of NASH after 24 weeks of treatment. The condition, which is closely related to type 2 diabetes and has increased in incidence along with the obesity epidemic, is anticipated to become the leading cause of liver transplants in the US in coming years. The most common adverse events experienced by patients in the study were diarrhea, headache, abdominal distension, nausea, fatigue, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral edema. Intercept’s daily pill for NASH, obeticholic acid (Ocaliva)—already FDA-approved to treat a different liver disorder, primary biliary cholangitis—is under review by the agency, with a decision due in late June.
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