With Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s resmetirom expected to become the first authorized therapy for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), attention is growing for another class earlier in development, FGF21 analogs, which could provide benefit in the sickest patients, those with cirrhosis or diabetes. In interviews at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease meeting, executives from the three leading companies tried to argue that their drug is best in class.
Who Will Emerge As Best In Class Of The FGF21 Analogs In NASH?
Akero hopes to begin Phase III study of efruxifermin this year, with 89bio working to enter Phase III with pegozafermin in 2024. But just behind them, Boston Pharmaceuticals thinks it has a convenience and immunogenicity edge.

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AstraZeneca remains committed to investing in R&D and alliances in China, where Susan Galbraith, the UK major’s head of oncology R&D, sees innovation eventually reaching parity with the US and Europe.
The US FDA approved anti-CD19 antibody Uplizna, from Amgen’s $27.8bn purchase of Horizon in 2023, for IgG4-related disease – a larger market than its original NMOSD indication.
BeiGene’s Phase III ociperlimab joins the list of failed TIGIT inhibitors, as candidates from Roche, Merck & Co. and others have failed late-stage studies.
The German firm’s chairman, Hubertus von Baumbach, is adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to the threat of pharma tariffs.
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The German firm’s chairman, Hubertus von Baumbach, is adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to the threat of pharma tariffs.
Trump announced a 26% reciprocal tariff on India but a country-agnostic exemption of pharmaceuticals implies that the interests of Indian firms and the US consumer are protected for now. What is Indian pharma’s business exposure and what is domestic industry saying?
Industry lobbied for pharmaceuticals to be exempt from Trump’s sweeping US tariffs and the effort appears to have paid off. J&J, Lilly and Merck & Co. even got shout outs.