Intercept falls on NASH study

Intercept falls after releasing ‘supportive data’ from Phase 3 NASH study

Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT) overnight announced additional “supportive data” from its Phase 3 Regenerate study of obeticholic acid in patients with liver fibrosis due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is liver inflammation and damage caused by a buildup of fat in the liver. It is part of a group of conditions called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. You may be told you have a “fatty liver.”

The new data based on additional analyses show that obeticholic acid “demonstrated robust efficacy across a range of additional histologic and biochemical parameters,” Intercept said in a statement.

The data are being presented today at the International Liver Congress in Vienna, Austria.

The primary efficacy analysis assessed efficacy at 18 months in 931 patients with stage 2 or 3 liver fibrosis due to NASH.

Patients with biopsy proven NASH with fibrosis were randomized 1:1:1 to receive placebo, OCA 10 mg or OCA 25 mg once daily.

A repeat biopsy was conducted after 18 months for histologic endpoint assessment.

Overall, study discontinuations in the primary efficacy analysis population were balanced across treatment groups.

As previously reported, in the primary efficacy analysis, once-daily OCA 25 mg met the primary endpoint of fibrosis improvement with no worsening of NASH in 23.1% of patients compared to 11.9% of placebo patients at the planned 18-month interim analysis, the company said.

In the primary efficacy analysis, a numerically greater proportion of patients in both OCA treatment groups compared to placebo achieved the primary endpoint of NASH resolution with no worsening of liver fibrosis; however, this did not reach statistical significance.

As agreed with the FDA, in order for the primary objective to be met, the study was required to achieve one of the two primary endpoints, it added.

Additional supportive efficacy analyses were conducted using the per protocol population.

Approximately three-fold more patients in the OCA 25 mg group achieved an improvement of fibrosis by greater than or equal to 2 stages compared to placebo, Intercept reported.

ICPT is down 12%, or $14.14, to $106.54.

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