Aligos Therapeutics presented positive data across ten presentations at EASL 2026 Barcelona. The headline MASH data: ALG-055009, a THR-β (thyroid hormone receptor beta) agonist small molecule, met its primary endpoint in the Phase 2a HERALD study with robust liver-fat reduction at week 12 — doses of 0.5 mg to 0.9 mg achieving statistically significant reductions with placebo-adjusted median relative reductions up to 46.2% as measured by MRI-PDFF. On the viral hepatology side, Aligos presented Phase 1 data on pevifoscorvir sodium suggesting a reduced cccDNA reservoir in chronic HBV patients, with an investigator-led study showing ≥24-week follow-up in HBeAg+ participants after 96 weeks of monotherapy. The combined slate spans the Aligos chronic HBV, HDV, MASH, and liver cancer pipeline. The ALG-055009 THR-β mechanism puts Aligos in direct competition with Madrigal's Rezdiffra (resmetirom), the only FDA-approved MASH therapy, on the same receptor target.
EASL 2026's first two days clarified the MASH-therapeutics competitive map across five mechanism classes. GLP-1/glucagon dual peptides: Altimmune pemvidutide (48-week IMPACT data, Best of EASL), Boehringer survodutide (NEJM 47-62% MASH improvement, LIVERAGE Phase 3), MetaVia DA-1726 (48 mg Phase 1). THR-β agonists: Madrigal Rezdiffra (only FDA-approved MASH therapy, eight EASL posters), Aligos ALG-055009 (46.2% liver-fat reduction Phase 2a). RNAi: Arrowhead ARO-INHBE (Activin E/ALK7, 44% liver fat, tirzepatide combination). FASN inhibition: Sagimet denifanstat + Rezdiffra combination. FGF21 analogs: the Akero efruxifermin (Novo $5.2B acquisition) and 89bio pegozafermin (Roche $3.5B acquisition) programs anchoring the most-acquired MASH mechanism. Plus galectin-3 inhibition (Galectin belapectin NAVIGATE) and pan-PPAR agonism (Inventiva lanifibranor NATiV3 Phase 3). The GLP-1/glucagon peptide class leads on combined weight-loss-plus-liver effect; the FGF21 and THR-β classes lead on pure antifibrotic mechanism. Combination therapy across mechanism classes is the emerging 2026 thesis.
Ascletis Pharma will present multiple poster sessions at ECO 2026 covering programs beyond the already-presented ASC30. ASC47, an adipose-targeting thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRβ) agonist designed for muscle-preserving weight loss, demonstrated up to 111.8% greater relative weight loss when combined with semaglutide vs semaglutide monotherapy in obesity participants. ASC36, a once-monthly next-generation amylin receptor agonist peptide, posted a 32-day average observed half-life — six times longer than Zealand's petrelintide. ASC35, a once-monthly next-generation GLP-1R/GIPR dual agonist peptide, showed a 14-day average observed half-life (six times longer than tirzepatide) and 71% more relative weight loss than tirzepatide in a diet-induced obesity mouse model. Session Thursday May 14, 18:00-19:15 TRT.