April 29 is the first World Liver Day that millions of patients with a common liver disease can celebrate with the knowledge that a drug is finally available to treat their disease.
Contrary to popular thought, liver disease does, in fact, affect those who do not drink alcohol. A form of liver disease involving the accumulation of fat affects up to 30% of adults who don’t drink. This disease is often associated with metabolic dysfunction, such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and elevated triglycerides.
The severe form of the disease, in which patients’ livers are also inflamed and scarred, is called metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. This serious and progressive liver disease can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, or even liver transplantation. Until recently, there were no FDA-approved therapies and patient treatment focused on weight loss and lifestyle changes.
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That all changed on March 14, when the federal Food and Drug Administration approved resmetirom (Rezdiffra), a once-daily, oral drug that, along with lifestyle changes, significantly improves the health of liver patients. The Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, a globally renowned research and treatment center, and some of our patients participated in this trial. Although resmetirom did not improve all patients treated, this major milestone brings hope to the millions with MASH and paves the way for other treatments now in clinical trials.
Only by screening all adults for liver disease (such as a simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive test developed at VCU called the FIB-4 index), regardless of risk or elevated liver blood tests, will we be able to identify patients in the early stages of liver disease. With this new drug and potential therapies to come, we can celebrate future World Liver Days as we help reduce the number of those who desperately need a liver transplant and improve the health of our population.
Dr. Richard K. Sterling, chief clinical officer of the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health at VCU.