AKRO - Akero gains 15% on potential of liver disease drug and weight loss therapy combo

2023-06-05 07:31:25 ET

Akero Therapeutics ( NASDAQ: AKRO ) added ~15% pre-market Monday after highlighting the potential of its investigational liver disease therapy efruxifermin (EFX) in combination with a popular weight loss drug class called GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1).

Presenting topline data from its Phase 2b SYMMETRY study, Akero ( AKRO ) said EFX combined with GLP-1 led to a 65% relative reduction in liver fat, while those on GLP-1 alone achieved a 10% relative reduction.

The findings represented 31-patient Cohort D in the SYMMETRY study, which included patients with pre-cirrhotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (F1-F3 fibrosis) and Type 2 diabetes.

Other findings indicate the normalization of liver fat in 88% of patients treated with EFX compared to 10% of those who received GLP-1 alone.

Patients in the EFX (N=21) and placebo (N=10) arm indicated comparable safety results, and grade 1 or 2 gastrointestinal events were among the most frequent adverse events found in the EFX-treated group.

While there were no drug-related serious adverse events, two EFX-treated patients exited the study.

Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) markets its GLP-1 agonist for weight loss and diabetes as Wegovy and Ozempic, respectively. Eli Lilly’s ( LLY ) diabetes therapy Mounjaro is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist.

More on Akero

• Akero plans to begin Phase 3 trial of NASH treatment in H2 after successful FDA meet
• Akero Therapeutics: A Promising Solution For NASH Patients And Investors

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