Health care professionals ‘thrilled’ with approval of first treatment for MASH
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Key takeaways:
- The FDA granted Rezdiffra accelerated approval on March 14.
- Rezdiffra-related discussions in March contributed to a 23% increase in health care professionals’ posts on treatment topics compared with February.
An analysis of the global online conversations of more than 1,600 healthcare professionals has revealed celebration at news of the approval of the first treatment for adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
Rezdiffra (resmetirom, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals) was granted accelerated approval by the FDA on March 14, and became available to U.S. pharmacies on April 9. Creation Healthcare found that health care professionals (HCPs) were “thrilled” at the news.
Source: Creation Healthcare.
Prague-based gastroenterologist Jan Kral, MD, suggested that the approval marked a “breakthrough for patients” that offers “hope and better health outcomes,” while Naim Alkhouri, MD, a hepatologist in Arizona, described it as a “historic day” for those in the MASH, formerly known as NASH, space.
At the same time, another HCP shared an article celebrating the “hurrah moment” that resmetirom’s approval represented. Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA, Pittsburgh-based chair of the Obesity Action Coalition, said the approval was an “especially great” cause for celebration, which “brings the promise of much progress to come.”
Creation Healthcare — a leading health care digital insights consultancy — used Creation Pinpoint technology to analyze 2,577 English language posts on X, formerly Twitter, by 1,688 HCPs between March 1 and March 31, aiming to identify and evaluate the key topics discussed relating to FDA approvals and launches of pharmaceutical products.
Discussions related to resmetirom formed part of a broader 23% increase compared with February in the number of HCP posts discussing treatment approvals and launches. Nearly 300 more HCPs were involved in these conversations.
The chart above plots the daily number of mentions of product launches and compares them with previous average daily levels of conversation across December, January and February. Discussion about resmetirom’s approval formed the largest peak in HCP social media mentions.
On March 1, the FDA approved Boston Scientific’s Agent paclitaxel-coated balloon, the first to be approved for coronary in-stent restenosis. Several HCPs who shared the news expressed enthusiasm towards the treatment, highlighting the benefits in reducing target lesion failure compared with conventional angioplasty.
Houston-based interventional cardiologist Umair Khalid, MD, expressed excitement at the news of the approval, sharing an article that pointed out the “effectiveness and safety” of the treatment, “especially in high-risk populations.”
On March 8, the FDA approved a new indication for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) injection to reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease and obesity. Most HCPs online appeared pleased with the approval, with one describing it as a “big win.” California-based immunologist Matthew Bowdish, MD, shared news of the positive outcomes of the SELECT trial, which revealed that semaglutide cut the risk for cardiovascular events by 20% compared with placebo.
Several HCPs also reposted news coverage that reported on doctors’ hopes of the approval improving insurance coverage, while also acknowledging worry that it could “exacerbate shortages.”
The three most shared stories from HCPs discussing product launches in March were a JAMA article on the approval of Agent, an FDA press release on the approval of a new indication for semaglutide and an FDA press release on the approval of resmetirom for the treatment of adults with MASH.
References:
- Better listening for better health. https://creation.co/. Accessed April 16, 2024.
- David E. Albert, MD (@DrDave01). March 16, 2024. X (Twitter).
- FDA approves first treatment for patients with liver scarring due to fatty liver disease. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-treatment-patients-liver-scarring-due-fatty-liver-disease. Published March 14, 2024. Accessed April 16, 2024.
- FDA approves first treatment to reduce risk of serious heart problems specifically in adults with obesity or overweight. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-treatment-reduce-risk-serious-heart-problems-specifically-adults-obesity-or. Published March 8, 2024. Accessed April 16, 2024.
- Jan Král, MD (@KralJan). March 20, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Matthew Bowdish, MD (@MatthewBowdish). March 11, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Meg Tirrell (@megtirrell). March 8, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Naim Alkhouri (@AlkhouriNaim). March 18, 2024. X (Twitter).
- RH Jani (@rhjani). March 19, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Robert W. Yeh MD (@rwyeh). March 10, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Ted Kyle (@ConscienHealth). March 16, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Umair Khalid (@Umair2017). March 1, 2024. X (Twitter).
- Yeh RW, et al. JAMA. 2024;doi:10.1001/jama.2024.1361.
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