MediciNova stock tumbles on mixed Phase 2 NAFLD trial data

MediciNova Inc (NASDAQ:MNOV) shares tumbled 14.7% in early trading on Monday after the company's Phase 2 trial for its treatment tipelukast (MN-001) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hypertriglyceridemia showed mixed results. The randomized, double-blind study included 40 patients and lasted for 24 weeks. While the treatment group showed a decrease in serum triglycerides by 45.8 mg/dL compared to a decrease of 14.4 mg/dL in the placebo group, this difference was not deemed statistically significant (p=0.113).

However, the trial did record significant improvements in HDL cholesterol and particle concentration, with mean HDL-C increasing by 3.3 mg/dL in the MN-001 group and decreasing by 2.4 mg/dL in placebo (p=0.0048). A trend toward improvement in liver fat was noted, though it did not reach statistical significance (p=0.2438). Body weight decreased more in the treatment group, but this difference was also not statistically significant (p=0.082).

The safety profile of MN-001 appeared generally favorable, with no serious adverse events reported. MediciNova has committed to further detailed analyses and will determine the next steps in clinical development, including the optimal patient population and sample size for future studies.