Madrigal gains on NASH data

Madrigal Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:MDGL) jumped $40.88 (88%) to $87.18 on Wednesday after reporting that MGL-3196 (VIA-3196) met the primary endpoint in a Phase II trial to treat biopsy-proven non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

On the 125-patient trial's primary endpoint, once-daily oral MGL-3196 significantly reduced median hepatic fat fraction from baseline to week 12 by 36.3% as measured by MRI proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) vs. 9.6% for placebo (p<0.0001). Madrigal's NASH trial is one of several using an imaging-based endpoint that could replace biopsies in clinical trials (see BioCentury, April 14)...