Wegovy for MASH: How it works and effectiveness?
Is Wegovy used for MASH?
Wegovy is used for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) to help improve liver fibrosis and steatohepatitis in certain patients.
Is Wegovy used for MASH?
Yes, Wegovy is used for MASH in adults with moderate to advanced fibrosis (liver scarring), without cirrhosis of the liver. It should be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Wegovy received FDA approval for MASH on August 15, 2025, following positive results from the ESSENCE Phase 3 trial.
What is MASH, and how does it affect the liver?
MASH occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver, causing inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) and serious complications, including liver failure, liver cancer, or death if left untreated.
MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) is a progressive liver disease linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides (a type of fat), and high LDL-cholesterol.
MASH was formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NASH).
What is Wegovy, and how does it work?
Wegovy (semaglutide) is a prescription medicine used to help regulate appetite and blood sugar, leading to weight loss and improved metabolic health. Weight loss is an important factor in improving liver health in patients with noncirrhotic MASH, with moderate to advanced fibrosis (liver scarring).
Wegovy has been demonstrated to improve liver fibrosis, steatohepatitis, or both.
How effective is Wegovy for MASH treatment?
The effectiveness of Wegovy for MASH treatment was demonstrated in a large, ongoing phase 3 ESSENCE clinical trial (NCT04822181). In this study, 800 participants were randomly assigned to receive either Wegovy (534 participants) or a placebo (266 participants), alongside lifestyle changes such as a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Many participants were also on stable doses of lipid-lowering, glucose-control, or weight-loss medications.
At 72 weeks, using once-weekly Wegovy 2.4 mg, the results showed:
- 63% of Wegovy-treated participants had MASH resolution of MASH with no worsening of their fibrosis, compared to 34% in the placebo group.
- 37% of Wegovy-treated patients had improvement in liver scarring (fibrosis) with no worsening of MASH, compared to 22% with placebo.
- 33% of Wegovy patients had both resolution of steatohepatitis and improvement in liver fibrosis compared to a rate of just 16% in the placebo group.
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Bottom Line
- Wegovy for MASH treatment is now FDA approved for adult patients with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (consistent with stages F2 to F3 fibrosis) and without cirrhosis of the liver.
- MASH occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver, causing inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) and serious complications, including liver failure or liver cancer, if left untreated.
- In patients with MASH, Wegovy has been demonstrated to improve liver fibrosis, steatohepatitis, or both.
References
Wegovy Prescribing Information - FDA (Accessed 19 August 2025) https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2025/215256s024lbl.pdf
FDA Approves Treatment for Serious Liver Disease Known as ‘MASH’ (Accessed 19 August 2025) https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-treatment-serious-liver-disease-known-mash
Research Study on Whether Semaglutide Works in People With Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) (ESSENCE) (Accessed 19 August 2025) https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04822181
Phase 3 Trial of Semaglutide in Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatohepatitis (Accessed 19 August 2025) https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04822181
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Drug information
- Wegovy Information for Consumers
- Wegovy prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Wegovy (detailed)
- Wegovy user reviews (525)
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