Mark Pruzanski, MD, founder, President and CEO of Intercept, commented, "We are excited to collaborate with the NIDDK and CRN to test our drug in such a robust NASH study.  Last year we presented data showing that obeticholic acid improved insulin sensitivity, lowered liver enzymes and induced weight loss in type 2 diabetic patients with NAFLD. These results and the novel mechanism of action of our drug are a promising basis for pursuing NASH."  

Pat Robuck, PhD, MPH, the senior advisor for clinical trials in digestive and liver diseases, in the NIDDK's Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, stated, "There is a huge unmet medical need in this patient population. The NIDDK, working together with our NASH CRN investigators, is committed to discovering effective and safe treatments for this serious disease.  The preclinical and clinical data obtained so far with obeticholic acid suggest that it has beneficial effects on glucose metabolism and the liver, and the NASH CRN steering committee thinks it warrants rigorous clinical evaluation in NASH."

SOURCE Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.