MetaVia reports 68% liver fat reduction in phase 1 trial

MetaVia Inc., a company listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker MTVA, recently unveiled preliminary findings from a phase 1 clinical trial involving DA-1726. The study focused on the effects of this drug on liver fat reduction in adults suffering from obesity. Conducted over a period of 16 weeks, the trial involved 15 participants, with half receiving the experimental drug and the other half a placebo. The results were unveiled at the Precision Liver Symposium in Denver, Colorado.

Among the participants who received DA-1726, 10 out of the 12 managed to reduce their liver fat by at least 30%, according to MRI scans. Notably, all five individuals who initially showed signs of liver steatosis experienced a significant drop in MRI-PDFF levels below 5%. Furthermore, the drug also led to a 13.5% reduction in body weight, with an average loss of 12.19 kg - a decrease from 98.6 kg to 86.4 kg. HbA1c levels, a measure of blood sugar control, also improved by 0.24 points in non-diabetic participants.

Visceral adipose tissue, a type of fat stored within the abdominal cavity, decreased by 22% in those treated with DA-1726, compared to a 9% decrease in the placebo group. However, muscle volume in the thighs saw a 9% reduction, as did total lean tissue, which fell by 8%.

Out of the 15 participants who received DA-1726, nine reported gastrointestinal side effects, with vomiting being the most common issue, reported by seven participants. There were no new gastrointestinal side effects after the ninth week, and no participants discontinued the treatment due to these issues. One serious adverse event of severe vomiting was reported.

The full data from both Part 3A and Part 3B of the trial is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2027. MetaVia has plans to commence a 48-week Phase 2 study of DA-1726 in up to 150 patients with MetALD and ALD later in 2027.