According to a story from Biotech-365, the biopharmaceutical company Inventiva has been forced to change its plans to announce the latest updates for its phase IIb clinical trial. This clinical trial is testing the company’s experimental drug lanifibranor as a treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a disease that affects the liver. While the presentation was originally slated to take place at the International Liver Congress 2020, the ongoing coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has forced this event to be canceled.
About Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a type of liver disease in which fat is deposited in the liver independent of excessive alcohol consumption. This disease can progress rapidly. Risk factors include metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. There also appears to be some genetic component to the disease as well. This condition also increases the risk of other health problems and liver cancer. Men also seem to be at greater risk, getting the disease as almost twice the rate that women do. Symptoms of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis include jaundice, malaise, fatigue, and abdominal pain or discomfort. Without treatment, the liver can become scarred and the patient may need a liver transplant. However, the condition can also be managed with proper diet, the use of certain medications, and exercise. To learn more about nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, click here.
Presented Via Webcast
The presentation will now take place via webcast on May 4th. The event will feature opinions from Dr. Sven Franque of Antwerp University Hospital, who is also one of the principal investigators of the clinical trial, and Dr. Pierre Bedossa of Paris-Diderot University, who headed the biopsy analysis during the trial and served as central pathologist. In addition, the co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Inventiva, Pierre Broqua, will also speak.
About Lanifibranor
Lanifibranor is designed as an orally active small molecule. It was developed with the intent to induce systemic changes to the body that promote anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring activity. It is classified as an agonist of peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor (PPAR) and acts on all three isoforms. This makes lanifibranor the only PPAR agonist that activates all three, and researchers hope that this will promote a superior efficacy and safety profile.
Want to listen in on the webcast? Click here to learn how.
