Novo Nordisk today presented post hoc analysis of data
from a STEP UP trial sub-population with 55 participants, showing that Wegovy® (pooled
semaglutide 7.2 and 2.4 mg) reduced liver fat in adults with obesity without diabetes.1 Change in
percentage of liver fat, determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), showed that mean liver
fat in the group taking semaglutide declined from 8.8% at baseline to 3.1% at week 72. In addition,
the analysis showed that 26 participants entered the trials with liver fat above 5% and 88.5% of
them – 23 participants – reached the below-5% threshold by week 72, bringing their liver fat to
normal levels. The findings are presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes
(EASD) Annual Meeting 2026 in Milan, Italy.
What was the STEP UP pooled analysis of liver health?
The post hoc explorative analysis pooled 1,919 adults across STEP UP and STEP UP T2D, of whom
1,312 received semaglutide 7.2 mg, 304 received semaglutide 2.4 mg, and 303 received placebo.2,3
At baseline, more than 94% of participants across all groups were classified as high risk for fatty
liver by the Fatty Liver Index (FLI), while fewer than 1% met criteria for advanced fibrosis risk by the
FIB-4 index. The population was therefore representative of individuals with obesity with high risk of
metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), but with low baseline burden of
advanced liver disease.1
A direct quantification of liver fat in the 55 participants with excess liver fat was determined by the
non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging–proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF), which is the
gold-standard imaging technique for quantifying hepatic steatosis.1
"These findings help us look beyond the number on the scale and better understand the quality of
the weight loss seen with semaglutide", said Filip Knop, senior vice president and chief medical
officer at Novo. "Our dedicated ESSENCE MASH trial demonstrated reversal of damage in the liver
in people with MASH on semaglutide treatment, and this analysis from our STEP UP obesity trial
reinforces semaglutide’s beneficial impact on liver health in people with obesity."
Novo is investigating semaglutide 2.4 mg in MASH, and today it is approved for the treatment of
MASH, under the brand name Wegovy®, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, China
and several other markets. Semaglutide 7.2 mg is not being investigated for the treatment of
MASH.
About the STE