This conversation is part of a broader overview of NASH drug development in 2022, led by Stephen Harrison and Jörn Schattenberg.

It starts with Louise Campbell asking whether design and management of the ongoing trials will provide sufficient granularity on matching patient types to medications or drug classes. Stephen Harrison notes that we have not paid sufficient attention to this issue historically. In fact, he notes a range of key variables we do not explore at baseline: genotype disease markers like PNPLA3, microbiome and non-Caucasian population segments, to name three. He also notes that some promising drugs have been killed because of trial design issues. In the end, he returns to core positive concepts: combination therapies, looking for agents with multiple positive metabolic effects and safety.

At this point in the conversation, Stephen’s transmission starts to fail. Eventually, he leaves the conversation and focus shifts to cirrhosis.

This episode and all its conversations are sponsored by Madrigal Pharmaceuticals. Conversations 25.5 and 25.6 are a two-part summary of Madrigal’s disease-focused presentation at the recent CLDF LiverConnect meeting.