New drug reverses severe fatty liver disease by repairing the gut — SkimNews
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- DT-109 reversed MASH in both mice and nonhuman primates by reducing Clostridium perfringens, lowering gut ammonia, and reinforcing the intestinal lining, according to findings published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
- MASH affects approximately 7% of the world's population and can progress to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure, with limited effective therapies currently available.
- The mechanism targets a specific chain reaction: ammonia-producing gut bacteria damage the intestinal barrier, allowing inflammatory microbial products to reach the liver and overactivate CD8+ T cells that worsen liver inflammation.
- DT-109, a glycine-based tripeptide, has been licensed by the University of Michigan to Diapin Therapeutics, with several listed inventors holding ownership stakes in the company.
- Prior studies showed DT-109 reduced atherosclerotic plaque formation and vascular calcification in nonhuman primates, and researchers are exploring whether the compound might also help patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
- The compound has not yet been tested in humans for MASH; researchers say clinical trials are the next step to establish safety and effectiveness in patients.
Why it matters: Roughly 7% of the global population has MASH and effective therapies remain limited, so a gut-targeted approach could open a new treatment category where the drug acts outside the liver itself. If human trials succeed, one compound might address both liver and cardiovascular complications, given DT-109's prior evidence against atherosclerosis in animals.
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