Effect of pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist, on MASLD: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the effects of pemvidutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/glucagon dual receptor agonist, on liver fat content (LFC) in individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Patients with a BMI ≥28.0 kg/m2 and LFC ≥10% by magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction were randomized 1:1:1:1 to pemvidutide at 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, or 2.4 mg, or placebo administered subcutaneously once weekly for 12 weeks. Participants were stratified according to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The primary efficacy endpoint was relative reduction (%) from baseline in LFC after 12 weeks of treatment. Ninety-four patients were randomized and dosed. Median baseline BMI and LFC across the study population were 36.2 kg/m2 and 20.6%; 29% of patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus. At week 12, relative reductions in LFC from baseline were 46.6% (95% CI -63.7 to -29.6), 68.5% (95% CI -84.4 to -52.5), and 57.1% (95% CI -76.1 to -38.1) for the pemvidutide 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, and 2.4 mg groups, respectively, vs. 4.4% (95% CI -20.2 to 11.3) for the placebo group (p <0.001 vs. placebo, all treatment groups), with 94.4% and 72.2% of patients achieving 30% and 50% reductions in LFC and 55.6% achieving normalization (≤5% LFC) at the 1.8 mg dose. Maximal responses for weight loss (-4.3%; p <0.001), alanine aminotransferase (-13.8 IU/L; p = 0.029), and corrected cT1 (-75.9 ms; p = 0.002) were all observed at the 1.8 mg dose. Pemvidutide was well-tolerated at all doses with no severe or serious adverse events. In patients with MASLD, weekly pemvidutide treatment yielded significant reductions in LFC, markers of hepatic inflammation, and body weight compared to placebo. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and its progressive form steatohepatitis, are strongly associated with overweight/obesity and it is believed that the excess liver fat associated with obesity is an important driver of these diseases. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists elicit weight loss through centrally and peripherally mediated effects on appetite. Unlike GLP-1R agonists, glucagon receptor agonists act directly on the liver to stimulate fatty acid oxidation and inhibit lipogenesis, potentially providing a more potent mechanism for liver fat content reduction than weight loss alone. This study demonstrated the ability of once-weekly treatment with pemvidutide, a dual GLP-1R/glucagon receptor agonist, to significantly reduce liver fat content, hepatic inflammatory activity, and body weight, suggesting that pemvidutide may be an effective treatment for both metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and obesity. NCT05006885.

Harrison SA ，Browne SK ，Suschak JJ ，Tomah S ，Gutierrez JA ，Yang J ，Roberts MS ，Harris MS ... -  《-》

Safety and Efficacy of Efruxifermin in Combination With a GLP-1 Receptor Agonist in Patients With NASH/MASH and Type 2 Diabetes in a Randomized Phase 2 Study.

In phase 2 studies, efruxifermin, an Fc-FGF21 analog, significantly reduced steatohepatitis and fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), for which there is no approved treatment. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are prevalent among patients with MASH and increasingly treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of efruxifermin in patients with MASH, fibrosis, and T2D taking a GLP-1RA. Cohort D was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b study in adults with T2D and MASH with fibrosis (F1-F3) on stable GLP-1RA therapy randomized (2:1) to receive efruxifermin 50 mg or placebo, once weekly for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was safety and tolerability of efruxifermin added to a stable dose of GLP-1RA. Secondary endpoints included changes in hepatic fat fraction (HFF), markers of liver injury and fibrosis, and metabolic parameters. Adults (N = 31) with T2D and MASH fibrosis (F1-F3) on a stable GLP-1RA (semaglutide, 48.4%; dulaglutide, 45.2%; liraglutide, 6.5%) received efruxifermin 50 mg (n = 21) or placebo (n = 10) for 12 weeks. The addition of efruxifermin to a GLP-1RA appeared safe and well-tolerated. The most frequent efruxifermin-related adverse events were mild to moderate gastrointestinal events. One patient receiving efruxifermin discontinued due to nausea, and another withdrew consent. There were no treatment-related serious adverse events. After 12 weeks, efruxifermin reduced HFF by 65% (P < .0001 vs placebo) compared with a 10% reduction for placebo (GLP-1RA alone). Efruxifermin also improved noninvasive markers of liver injury, fibrosis, glucose, and lipid metabolism while maintaining GLP-1RA-mediated weight loss. The tolerability profile of efruxifermin added to GLP-1RA appeared comparable to that of either drug alone, while also significantly reducing HFF and noninvasive markers of fibrosis in patients with MASH and T2D. Liver health in patients already on a GLP-1RA may be further improved by addition of efruxifermin. gov, Number: NCT05039450.

Harrison SA ，Frias JP ，Lucas KJ ，Reiss G ，Neff G ，Bollepalli S ，Su Y ，Chan D ，Tillman EJ ，Moulton A ，de Temple B ，Zari A ，Shringarpure R ，Rolph T ，Cheng A ，Yale K ... -  《-》

Erratum: Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs.

《Jove-Journal of Visualized Experiments》

Evaluation of an oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, lotiglipron, for type 2 diabetes and obesity: A dose-ranging, phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

The aim was to investigate the effects of lotiglipron, a once-daily, oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, in participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) or obesity. A phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study investigated the efficacy and safety of lotiglipron. The study was terminated early for safety reasons after routine data and monitoring review. The planned analyses for the end points were modified prior to unblinding the study. In total, 901 participants were treated with at least one dose of the study drug (T2D cohort: n = 512, obesity cohort: n = 389). Although the majority of participants who were randomly assigned to higher doses did not reach their target maintenance dose, statistically significant changes in HbA1c and body weight were observed. In the T2D cohort, reductions in HbA1c were observed across all lotiglipron doses at week 16 (p < 0.0001), with least squares mean decreases up to -1.44% (90% confidence interval [CI]: -1.63, -1.26) (lotiglipron 80 mg), versus placebo, -0.07% (90% CI: -0.25, 0.11). In the obesity cohort, decreases in body weight were observed across all lotiglipron doses at week 20 (p < 0.01), up to -7.47% (90% CI: -8.50, -6.43) (lotiglipron 200 mg, five-step titration), versus placebo, -1.84% (90% CI: -2.85, -0.83). Across cohorts, the most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events were gastrointestinal related (most mild to moderate severity), with nausea being the most common (ranging from 4% [placebo] to 28.8% [80 mg] in the T2D cohort and 12.5% [placebo] to 60.6% [200 mg, four-step titration] in the obesity cohort). Transaminase elevations were observed in a subset of participants (6.6% and 6.0% of participants on lotiglipron in the T2D and obesity cohorts, respectively, compared with 1.6% on placebo in the obesity cohort). The efficacy (HbA1c and/or body weight) of a range of lotiglipron doses was demonstrated in T2D and obesity cohorts. The safety profile was largely consistent with what has been previously known about the mechanism of action. Our results are unique in reporting elevations in liver transaminases in a subset of participants treated with lotiglipron, with attempts to identify the at-risk population unsuccessful and therefore clinical development of lotiglipron terminated. GOV: NCT05579977.

Amin NB ，Frederich R ，Tsamandouras N ，Haggag AZ ，Schuster T ，Zmuda W ，Palmer A ，Vasas S ，Buckley G ，Smith TR ，DuBrava SJ ，Zhu Q ，Johnson M ... -  《-》

Safety and efficacy of GLP-1/FGF21 dual agonist HEC88473 in MASLD and T2DM: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are key regulators of glucose and lipid metabolism. In the present study, we assessed the safety and efficacy of a novel GLP-1/FGF21 dual agonist HEC88473 for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-ascending-dose phase Ib/IIa trial. Sixty patients with MASLD and T2DM were randomized (10:2) to receive HEC88473 (5.1, 15.3, 30.6, 45.9, or 68.0 mg) or placebo via weekly subcutaneous injection for 5 weeks. After 5 weeks of treatment with HEC88473, MRI-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) was reduced in a dose-proportional manner. The largest relative mean change reached -47.21% (p = 0.0143) in the 30.6 mg cohort, compared with -15.05% in the placebo group, with a higher proportion of >30% relative reductions in patients with baseline PDFF >8%. The 5-week treatment with HEC88473 significantly reduced levels of HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin), as well as fasting and postprandial glucose levels. The largest mean change in HbA1c was -1.10% in the 68.0 mg cohort, compared with -0.31% in the placebo group. Improvement was also observed in participants' lipid profiles. Most adverse events were mild to moderate in severity. The most frequently reported adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders (n = 29, 48.3%). Herein, we report the clinical safety and proof-of-concept data for the GLP-1/FGF21 dual agonist HEC88473. A 5-week treatment with HEC88473 was generally safe and well tolerated, with multiple positive effects observed, including reduced liver fat, and improved glycemic control, insulin resistance and lipid metabolism, together indicating comprehensive improvement in metabolic syndrome. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase Ib/IIa study, we assessed clinical safety, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic data of the GLP-1/FGF21 dual agonist HEC88473 in patients with MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) and T2DM (type 2 diabetes mellitus). HEC88473 was generally safe and well tolerated. The GLP-1/FGF21 dual agonist significantly reduced the hepatic fat fraction assessed using MRI-proton density fat fraction, and improved glycemic control and lipid profiles with only 5 weeks' treatment, leading to comprehensive improvement in metabolic syndrome. The present results suggest that HEC88473 could be a promising treatment option in this patient population. Chinese Drug Trial Identifier (http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/index.html): CTR20211088. GOV: NCT05943886.

Xiang L ，Wang G ，Zhuang Y ，Luo L ，Yan J ，Zhang H ，Li X ，Xie C ，He Q ，Peng Y ，Chen H ，Li Q ，Li X ，Guo L ，Lv G ，Ding Y ... -  《-》