Question · Q4 2016
Len Levi of Dotdot Partners asked for perspective on the evolution of the NASH therapeutic market, drawing a parallel to Hepatitis C, and questioned at which stage of disease progression insurers and doctors would likely authorize initial treatments.
Answer
President and CEO Peter Traber agreed with the premise, stating that the progression from early fatty liver disease to cirrhosis can take 20 years. He emphasized that targeting patients with compensated cirrhosis, who are about five years from complications, is a more accepted approach for physicians and insurers. This is because the risk of serious outcomes is much higher and more immediate compared to early-stage NASH, where long-term morbidity is less certain and lifestyle changes can be effective, making payers more reluctant to cover decades of treatment.