University of Michigan compound DT-109 reverses severe fatty liver disease (MASH) in animals by repairing the gut barrier
7% of people worldwide have MASH, a fatty liver disease that can end in cirrhosis or liver failure, with few treatments. A Michigan compound, DT-109, reversed it in mice and monkeys by repairing the gut barrier, not the liver. Not yet tested in people. Per the Journal of Clinical
About 7% of people worldwide live with MASH, the aggressive form of fatty liver disease that can progress to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. Despite how common it is, effective treatments remain scarce, and most drugs in development target the liver directly. Researchers at the University of Michigan are taking a different route. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, they report that an experimental compound called DT-109, a glycine-based tripeptide, reversed severe MASH in mice and nonhuman primates. Instead of acting on the liver, DT-109 works on the gut: it strengthens the intestinal barrier and reduces the flow of harmful microbial products into the bloodstream. The team saw lower levels of the bacterium Clostridium perfringens and less intestinal ammonia, along with reduced liver inflammation and improved disease severity in the primates. The finding matters because it points at the gut-liver axis as a treatment target rather than the liver alone, which could open a class of therapies distinct from what is currently approved. The important caveat: this work is preclinical. The results come from animals, not people, so human clinical trials would be the next hurdle before any patient benefit is known. Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation / University of Michigan Medicine