Companies To Watch: Akero Therapeutics

By Wayne Koberstein, Executive Editor, Life Science Leader magazine
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Akero Therapeutics is developing drugs for metabolic diseases and has a weekly dosed compound, efruxifermin (EFX), heading for a Phase 2b/3 adaptive clinical trial for treating the common liver disease, NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). Originally licensed from Amgen, EFX mimics fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) to reduce liver fat, inflammation, and fibrosis. Because FGF21 regulates many metabolic pathways and cellular processes, the company aims to explore the potential for EFX in other therapeutic areas.