As the podcast hosts insights from our very own audience this week, we are extending three additional conversations from recent reviews of a particularly exciting NASH-TAG 2023. This session features highlights from the wrap-up episode chat with Amy Articolo and Naim Alkhouri joining Jörn Schattenberg and Roger Green.

The leading question asks the panelists to rate their levels of enthusiasm emerging from the conference in Deer Valley. The scale ranges from 1 to 6, where 1 represents “thoroughly depressed” and 6 represents “over the moon.” A similar question at the conclusion of NASH-TAG 2022 elicited 4s and 5s… This time the answers ranged from Roger’s relatively conservative “6” to 6.5 or 7 from the rest. The optimism primarily was a result of the idea that two Phase 3 drug trials appear to have hit FDA’s efficacy and safety standards, with resmetirom meeting the EMA’s more challenging “regress fibrosis while lowering NAS score” standard. Jörn describes the implications of this as having proven that “it’s doable and druggable.” Roger adds, and Amy agrees, that the efficacy levels the two drugs hit appear to leave significant room for new drugs and combination therapies to improve efficacy. From there, the group goes on to discuss the implications of what we are learning about the impact bariatric surgery can have on NASH. This leads Naim to make a cogent comment which Jörn describes as “hitting it out of the park.” Listen to the full segment to hear this powerful viewpoint.

This week, Surfing NASH has focused on community engagement and incorporating insights and perspectives from the listeners. If you enjoy our content, we kindly ask that you submit a review wherever you download our episodes. We also encourage our audience to write us questions and look forward to integrating your on-ground experiences and ideas in the weekly discourse. Most important of all, we whole-heartedly thank you for your continued support as we set out to put a major dent in Fatty Liver disease in 2023 and beyond.