Following the release of the topline preliminary findings from its SYMMETRY Phase 2b research, shares of Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKRO) are seeing a significant spike on the charts, rising 110.05% to $54.99 as of the last check.
Important Clinical Results
In order to treat patients with biopsy-confirmed compensated cirrhosis (F4), Child-Pugh Class A, caused by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), the trial assesses the safety and effectiveness of efruxifermin (EFX), AKRO’s primary product candidate.
The results reveal promising outcomes for EFX. Among patients with baseline and week 96 biopsies, 39% of those treated with 50mg EFX showed a reversal of cirrhosis without worsening MASH, compared to 15% in the placebo group.
When all missing week 96 biopsies are considered failures in the Intent to Treat (ITT) population, 29% of the 50 mg EFX group and 12% of the placebo group, respectively, experienced cirrhosis reversal. The 50mg group improved from 10% at week 36 to 24% at week 96, demonstrating a notable increase in the treatment impact over time, according to the research.
Implications for MASH Treatment
These findings mark a pivotal milestone for Akero and the broader medical community addressing MASH-related cirrhosis, a condition linked to high short-term morbidity and mortality rates. Until now, effective treatments for compensated cirrhosis due to MASH were unavailable.
EFX’s demonstrated ability to reverse cirrhosis, validated by histopathological consensus and supported by noninvasive fibrosis and injury measures, positions it as a potential breakthrough therapy.
Future Directions
Akero plans to continue evaluating 50mg EFX in its ongoing Phase 3 SYNCHRONY Outcomes study, further exploring its potential as a transformative treatment for MASH-related cirrhosis. This progress distinguishes EFX from other investigational or approved treatments in the MASH landscape.
Industry Momentum
Meanwhile, Akero’s (AKRO) industry momentum is reflected in our ST screener score of 43, with a notable one-week surge of 17.35%. Investors interested in more insight could visit our screener to monitor peer stocks with over 20% gains in the past five days with CHRO and NTRB topping our compiled list.