Organovo's drug significantly reduces liver fat in NASH study

London: Organovo Holdings' experimental drug reduced liver fat by as much as 22.8% in a mid-stage study of some patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fueling optimism over its chances to enter a potential multi-billion dollar market.

Shares of the small biotech firm surged 44% to $1.45 in early trading on Monday after the company reported the data for the oral drug, FXR314.

Patients with NASH, which was last year renamed metabolic function-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), have an excess build-up of fat in the liver, leading to inflammation and scarring of the organ.

Last month, the U.S. health regulator approved Madrigal Pharmaceuticals' Rezdiffra, the first treatment for the condition that affects about 5% of adults in the United States.

The global market for NASH treatments is expected to surpass $16 billion by 2030, according to market research firm Vision Research Reports.

FXR314 also helped improve liver function with no worsening of scarring or fibrosis, Organovo said, adding that the drug was safe and well-tolerated.

In the 16-week study conducted with 214 patients, those who received 3 mg of FXR314 showed an average 22.8% reduction in liver fat, compared with 6.1% in the placebo group, Organovo said.

The company expects to present detailed findings of the study at an upcoming conference.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)