Two doses of chiglitazar cut liver fat far more than a placebo in 18 weeks

For people living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, also known as fatty liver disease, finding a way to reduce liver fat is a major goal. A new study looked at a drug called chiglitazar to see if it could help. The research involved 104 patients who had high triglycerides and insulin resistance. These are common issues that make the disease harder to manage. Participants took either a low dose of 48 milligrams, a higher dose of 64 milligrams, or a sugar pill that looked the same but had no medicine. They took the chosen option once every day for 18 weeks. Scientists used a special MRI scan to measure how much fat was stored in the liver at the end of the trial. The results showed a clear difference between the groups. Patients taking the lower dose saw their liver fat drop by 24.9 percent compared to those on the sugar pill. Those on the higher dose saw a 36.3 percent drop. The sugar pill group did not see a similar reduction in fat levels. Both doses of the drug were well tolerated by the patients. Most side effects that did occur were mild to moderate. No serious problems were reported during the study. This trial offers hope for a treatment that directly targets the fat buildup in the liver.