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 The clinical trial will be a study combining Novo Nordisk's
semaglutide drug and Gilead's cilofexor and firsocostat for
treatment of patients with Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), Novo
Nordisk, best known for its diabetes drugs, said on Friday.
"NASH is a complex disease that often affects people with diabetes
and metabolic syndrome. Currently, patients living with NASH have
limited treatment options," said Gilead's chief scientific officer
John McHutchison in a statement.
In February, Gilead said a late-stage study of the experimental drug
selonsertib aimed at treating NASH failed to meet its main goal.
Analysts have projected the market for NASH treatments to reach $20
billion to $35 billion as populations increasingly develop the
disease fueled by obesity and diabetes.
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Without treatment, sufferers can develop advanced damage, including
the scarring known as fibrosis; cirrhosis, which destroys liver
function; and even cancer.
Novo is currently testing semaglutide, already approved to treat
diabetes, as a once-daily treatment for NASH in phase 2. Gilead's
Cilofexor and firsocostat have not been approved by any regulatory
authorities.
(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Keith Weir)
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