Table 1.

Drug candidates for MASH

Drug target	Drug name	Mechanism of action	Side effect	Trial number
PPAR agonist	Pioglitazone	Enhances insulin sensitivity by activating PPARγ	Weight gain and bone loss	NCT00994682
	Saroglitazar	Improves insulin resistance and modulating gluconeogenesis, β-oxidation by activating PPARα/γ	Almost no adverse drug reactions	NCT03061721
SGLT-2 inhibitor	Empagliflozin	Downregulates renal glucose threshold and enhances urinary excretion of glucose to reduce hyperglycemia by inhibiting SGLT2	Ketoacidosis	NCT02686476
	Obeticholic acid			NCT02548351
FXR agonist	EDP-305	Improves insulin sensitivity and reduces the expression of markers of liver fibrosis and inflammation by activating FXR	High risk of long-term cardiovascular diseases	NCT03421431
THRβ agonist	Resmetirom	Modulates hepatic lipid metabolism by acting on THR; Restores RGS5 expression and inhibits STAT3 and NF-κB signaling pathway	Transient mild diarrhea and nausea	NCT03900429
SCD1 inhibitor	Aramchol	Controls hepatic steatosis by inhibiting SCD1, a central regulator of fuel metabolism	No serious adverse drug reactions	NCT02279524
Ketohexokinase inhibitor	PF-06835919	Inhibits ketohexokinase, the critical enzyme involved in fructose metabolism	No serious adverse events	NCT03256526
Fibroblast growth factor 19	NGM282	Increase metabolic rate and reduce adiposity	Increase the risk of cardiovascular disease	NCT02443116
Fibroblast growth factor 21	Pegozafermin	Regulates energy balance, glucose, and lipid homeostasis by acting on FGF21 receptor	Diarrhoea and nausea	NCT04929483