Sagimet Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMT) will present an oral presentation on fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors at the 9th Annual MASH-TAG Conference in Park City, Utah, from January 9-11, 2025. The presentation will focus on denifanstat, Sagimet's lead drug candidate, and its anti-fibrotic effects demonstrated in the Phase 2b FASCINATE-2 trial for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
The presentation, scheduled for January 10, 2025, will be delivered by Marie O'Farrell, Ph.D., SVP of Research and Development at Sagimet Biosciences. It will delve into the unique mechanism of action of denifanstat and its observed anti-fibrotic impact within the FASCINATE-2 study, specifically in patients with F2/F3 MASH.
Denifanstat: Targeting FASN for MASH Treatment
Denifanstat is an oral, once-daily, selective FASN inhibitor designed to address dysfunctional metabolic and fibrotic pathways implicated in MASH. By inhibiting FASN, denifanstat aims to reduce the overproduction of palmitate, a fatty acid associated with liver disease progression.
The successful completion of the Phase 2b FASCINATE-2 trial, which utilized liver biopsy-based primary endpoints, has paved the way for denifanstat's advancement into Phase 3 development. The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for denifanstat in the treatment of non-cirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (F2-F3 stages).
The Growing Burden of MASH
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a progressive liver disease affecting over 115 million people globally. With only one recently approved treatment in the United States and no approved treatments in Europe, there remains a significant unmet medical need. The renaming of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to MASH in 2023 reflects an effort to reduce stigma and improve diagnostic clarity within the field.
