Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma’s survodutide has improved liver scarring in a Phase 2 test in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, according to an “unintentionally” published EASL International Liver Congress abstract.
Boehringer was set to present data on the glucagon/GLP-1 receptor dual agonist on Friday but the abstract was “unintentionally and temporarily made available through the congress website,” according to a Thursday release by Zealand.
The Copenhagen-based company’s share price $ZEAL.CO was up around 6% Thursday morning.
The abstract, which was not seen by Endpoints News, featured the key secondary endpoint of a minimum one-stage decrease in liver fibrosis, or scarring, according to Zealand. The results showed that survodutide was linked with “highly statistically significant and clinically relevant reductions” in liver scarring in patients with mild to moderate or advanced fibrosis.
In February, Zealand unveiled positive results from the trial’s primary endpoint of biopsy-proven improvement in MASH, or NASH, without worsening of fibrosis at 48 weeks. Since fibrosis is a clinically relevant feature of the liver disease, the data to be detailed Friday at the confab were highly anticipated.
Boehringer and Zealand paired up to create survodutide together, but Boehringer is responsible for funding and conducting all clinical development.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to clarify that Zealand’s release was published Thursday.