Novo Nordisk (NVO) has won approval from Singapore authorities for the use of its weight-loss drug, Wegovy, to treat certain liver diseases, the drugmaker said Wednesday.

Wegovy, a once-weekly injectable semaglutide, can be prescribed to treat adult patients with non-cirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or moderate to advanced liver fibrosis, as a complement to dieting and exercise, said Nordisk.

The Singapore Health Sciences Authority approval of Wegvy approval in the treatment of the fatty liver diseases is based on the interim Week 72 efficacy analysis of the ESSENCE trial, a randomized phase 3 trial of the drug, said Novo Nordisk.

Wegovy demonstrated statistically significant improvements in participants compared with a placebo on primary endpoints of the trial, said Novo Nordisk.

With use of Wegovy, 63% of participants achieved resolution of steatohepatitis without worsening of liver fibrosis, versus 34% on the placebo in the trial, said Novo Nordisk.

In addition, 37% of participants achieved at least a one-stage improvement in liver fibrosis without worsening of steatohepatitis, versus 22% of those on a placebo.

And 33% of participants treated with Wegovy achieved both endpoints, against 16% of those on the placebo, said Novo Nordisk.

In 2024, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis accounted for 39.8% of cirrhosis cases in SingHealth's Chronic Liver Disease Registry, compared with 23.5% for hepatitis B, reported Novo Nordisk.