For the first time, two new drugs have shown spectacular results on fatty liver. When will they be available in France?
In France, 1 in 5 adults have “fatty liver”, or 10 million French people. At this stage, if you take action on your lifestyle (weight loss, physical activity), the fat disappears and the liver becomes perfectly healthy again. The real danger arises for the million French people whose liver begins to “burn”: it is MASH (formerly NASH), an inflammation which hardens the liver and gradually transforms it into a rigid organ which can no longer function. Having remained without specific treatment for a long time, MASH is entering a new era. In 2026, French patients will finally see the arrival of medicinal solutions capable not only of stabilizing the disease, but also of repairing liver damage, explain Professor Laurent Castera (Beaujon hospital in Paris) and Professor Zobair M. Younossi (Wahsington DC, USA), co-presidents of the Paris International Liver Meeting.
Two new molecules are a game-changer : Resmetirom (marketed under the name Rezdiffra®) is the first drug in the world created specifically for MASH. Taken orally in tablet form, it acts as an “accelerator” to help the liver burn fat by activating targeted hormone receptors. Its strong point is to directly reduce fibrosis (scars). It is specifically indicated for adults with moderate to advanced fibrosis (stages F2 or F3). “For patients who have, in addition to MASH, overweight or associated diabetes, they can use Semaglutide (marketed under the name Wegovy®)“, specifies Professor Younossi. Initially used for diabetes and obesity, this weekly injection treatment has shown spectacular results on the liver: it makes inflammation disappear in more than 50% of cases by treating the root cause (weight and insulin). Note that semaglutide is also known under the name Ozempic® when prescribed specifically for type 2 diabetes. Although the molecule is identical, it is under the name Wegovy® that it has been officially validated to treat MASH.
When will they be available in France? France is following a precise timetable to guarantee access and reimbursement for these innovations. The Resmetirom (Rezdiffra®) received its European authorization (AMM) in August 2025 and is currently being examined by the High Authority of Health (HAS) for early access. The first patients should be able to access it on a large scale during 2026, once price negotiations have been finalized for reimbursement by Social Security.
Semaglutide (Wegovy®) reached a new milestone at the end of 2025 with its specific approval for the treatment of MASH. It is already available in pharmacies for patients who have MASH with associated diabetes or severe obesity. It should be available and reimbursed during 2026 for patients who have MASH but who are neither diabetic nor severely obese. However, it must be remembered that this treatment is not a miracle solution allowing you to eat without counting: it is a powerful tool which must work as a team with an adapted lifestyle to be truly effective.
Since MASH disease does not cause any pain, diagnosis is based on a simple blood test to check liver enzymes (transaminases) and a Fibroscan, a quick, painless test, similar to an ultrasound, that measures liver stiffness in a few minutes.
