Akero First To Show Benefit In Cirrhotic NASH Patients

23 Mar 2021

Although the data are from a small cohort of an ongoing study, Akero’s FGF21 analog reduces fibrosis score by at least one stage in 33% of cirrhotic NASH patients.

3D illustration of many arrows symbols pointing in the same direction and one arrow going back. Concept of regression. — In a small sample, Akero's EFX showed an ability to reverse cirrhosis in NASH patients

Akero Therapeutics, Inc.’s Phase II FGF21 analog efruxifermin (EFX/AKR-001) demonstrated the ability to reduce fibrosis score by one stage or more in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients with cirrhosis after just 16 weeks of treatment, becoming the first NASH candidate to show a benefit in cirrhotic patients. The biotech noted on 22 March that the data derived from a 30-patient cohort of a Phase IIa study that was not powered to show statistical significance on histologic endpoints, but analysts called the data potentially groundbreaking all the same.

Previously, the South San Francisco-based company had shown that EFX could reduce hepatic fat by 63%-72% in NASH patients with...