Landmark Study Finds Another Health Benefit of Ozempic

Ozempic scores again. Semaglutide, the blockbuster drug better known by brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy, has now shown significant promise in treating a serious and increasingly common liver condition, according to a major international study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The condition known as MASH (short for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis), is a progressive form of fatty liver disease linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The 72-week clinical trial followed 800 people across 37 countries and the results were better than expected, with nearly 63 percent of those who got a weekly shot of semaglutide showing major improvement in liver health, compared to just 34 percent of those on a placebo. Liver scarring, which is a major risk factor for long-term damage, was also reduced in a good chunk of patients.

“These results provide strong evidence that semaglutide can help patients with MASH by not only improving liver health but also addressing the underlying metabolic drivers of the disease,” said Dr. Arun Sanyal, professor of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University and lead investigator on the study.

Originally, semaglutide was a drug developed to treat type 2 diabetes. The drug works because it mimics a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, reduce appetite, and improve metabolism. This also explains why it’s exploded as a weight-loss drug. But now, it’s showing potential as a multitool treatment for conditions tied to metabolic health, including liver disease.

Why does it matter? 

MASH is on the rise, driven by high rates of obesity and poor diet. Currently, there’s only one approved treatment. That makes these findings a major win in the fight against a condition that often flies under the radar and is often discovered too late.

“If approved, this could offer an urgently needed therapeutic option for patients with MASH and fibrosis,” Sanyal said.

The trial is currently ongoing, with researchers continuing to track long-term results over the next five years. But the early message seems to be hopeful: semaglutide might be doing more than trimming waistlines, it could be a game changer in helping save livers, too.