Tesamorelin, which reduces abdominal fat in HIV patients, may also reduce fat in liver

The only drug to receive US Food and Drug Administration approval for reduction of the abdominal fat deposits that develop in some patients receiving antiviral therapy for HIV infection may also reduce the incidence of fatty liver disease in such patients.

In a paper that will appear in the July 23/28 issue of JAMA – a theme issue on HIV/AIDS receiving early online release to coincide with the International AIDS Conference – Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators report that daily injections of tesamorelin significantly reduced fat in the liver without affecting glucose metabolism.

Tesamorelin, trade name Egrifta, was  granted approval by the FDA in 2010 and is marketed under license by the EMD Serono subsidiary of Germany’s Merck KGaA.