GENFIT (Euronext: GNFT; ISIN: FR0004163111), today announces topline results of the phase 2 GOLDEN-505 trial in NASH.
Due to the unexpected rate of resolution of NASH in patients randomized to placebo who had early NASH (NAS of 3, placebo response rate>57%), along with the high number of sites for a limited sample size, the study as initially designed did not enable the trial to meet directly the primary endpoint. With correction for this baseline severity and site heterogeneity by a standardized statistical analysis, GFT505 120mg meets the primary endpoint: Reversal on NASH without worsening of fibrosis, as detailed below.
Treatment with GFT505 provides a significant beneficial effect on the primary endpoint (GFT505 120mg vs placebo, p=0.016, RR=2.03) in the global randomized population (n=274, full analysis set), where patients without an end of treatment biopsy were considered as non-responders. The primary endpoint was also achieved in the evaluable population of patients who underwent both baseline and end of study liver biopsies (n=237, ITT; p=0.027 vs placebo; RR=1.94). In the evaluable patient population, GFT505 120mg also has a beneficial effect of a decrease of NAS-score ≥2 (p=0.04 vs placebo).
Early NASH patients with NAS=3 were not included in other recent NASH trials. If the same is done in the GOLDEN-505 study, keeping patients with more severe disease defined by NAS≥4 (n=202), GFT505 120mg demonstrates a doubling of responders on the primary endpoint (22.4% vs 12.7%, p=0.046, RR=1.9), thus providing evidence of a clinically meaningful benefit in patients with more advanced disease.
