Cirius explores metabolic approach to NASH

Cirius Therapeutics CEO Bob Baltera speaks to Scrip senior writer Emily Hayes about his company's approach to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a disease associated with the build-up of fat and inflammation in the liver that can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Some 16 million Americans have NASH and yet there is no approved therapeutic. The development space has numerous players, including Intercept, Genfit, Allergan and Gilead. Privately-held Cirius is among those addressing NASH through a metabolic approach to the common condition.

NASH is very complicated metabolically and Cirius believes it is important to target NASH at its core, that is as a disease caused by overeating, Baltera explains.

The CEO also provides an update on enrollment in a large Phase II study of lead candidate MSDC-0602K, which works as an insulin sensitizer, and outlines milestones ahead.