Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a serious condition that occurs when fat accumulates in the liver, causing inflammation and damage, such as scarring (fibrosis), cirrhosis or liver failure. The condition — often called a “silent disease” with no or few symptoms — is linked to conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. About 22 million adults in the United States have MASH, with cases expected to rise to 27 million by 2030. It’s also the fastest-growing cause of liver transplants in the United States.  

Novo Nordisk, maker of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist medication semaglutide (Wegovy), is exploring the use of the drug to treat MASH, with an expected decision from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as early as this month. That would make injectable Wegovy the first GLP-1 indicated to treat this condition, in addition to its already approved indications for treating type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Wegovy is also anticipated to be a more affordable alternative to resmetirom (Rezdiffra) from Madrigal Pharmaceuticals. Rezdiffra is the only currently approved treatment for MASH, with a list price of $49,391 a year.¹  

Prime Therapeutics (Prime) recently released its latest clinical insights report, “Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) – A new era in liver health,” which shares the latest clinical considerations regarding treatment of MASH, potential implications of a GLP-1 approval for MASH and what payers and providers should know about its impact on the marketplace.  

“This report serves as a critical cornerstone for the latest evidence-based clinical insights related to the rising prevalence and significant health impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH,” said Maryam Tabatabai, PharmD, associate vice president of clinical information. “Prime is proud to lead the industry in clinical insights, providing comprehensive and up-to-date information on this condition. We are committed to supporting the health care community as they prepare for this exciting advancement in treatment, helping to ensure patients receive the best care and health outcomes possible.”  

Through this report, you’ll learn about:  

• Treatment innovation. Learn about the evolutions in treatment since the FDA approved Rezdiffra as the first MASH-specific therapy, including how GLP-1s like Wegovy show promise in liver health, plus comparative insights and a pipeline outlook.  

• Payer strategy. The average total health care cost of MASH is anticipated to increase to $4,950 per person by 2030.² This report includes trends and market growth projections, clinical guidance from a number of leading health institutions and more about Prime’s multidisciplinary approach utilizing care teams. 

• Population health. Experts delve into risk factors and disparities in MASH prevalence, pediatric and lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) populations, diagnostic considerations and noninvasive tools.  

“The paper highlights a holistic view of MASH,” Tabatabai said, “including lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, as central to the management of MASH.” 

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Read the report  

Read the latest GLP-1 Pipeline Update 

References 

1. DrugIQ Drug Search. Accessed August 7, 2025.
2. Estes C, Razavi H, Loomba R, Younossi Z, Sanyal AJ. Modeling the epidemic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease demonstrates an exponential increase in burden of disease. Hepatology. 2018 Jan;67(1):123-133. DOI: 10.1002/hep.29466.