S2-E37.2 - NASH Diagnostics Provide a Natural Brake on Overly Broad Adoption of NASH Drugs

Send us Fan MailJörn Schattenberg and Michelle Long join the Surfers to discuss similarities and differences between the NASH and hypercholesterolemia markets. This conversation focuses on the unique challenges posed by the complexity of NASH and NAFLD and the current state of diagnostic testing. It has been common for industry advocates and financial analysts to discuss the potential for the NASH/NAFLD drug market in comparison to the statin market, but this overlooks differences in the conditions they treat (NASH vs. hypercholesterolemia), the diagnostics available and the health economic environment.It has been common for industry advocates and financial analysts to discuss the potential for the NASH/NAFLD drug market in comparison to the statin market, but this overlooks differences in the conditions they treat (NASH vs. hypercholesterolemia), the diagnostics available and the health economic environment.In this conversation, panelists discuss how complexities in diagnosing the disease and quantifying its nature and severity in individual patient affect patient treatment today and are likely to affect drug uptake. The group provides a thoughtful look at cholesterol drug use could expand more rapidly than NASH drugs will, even if NASH as broader and more far-reaching impact on population health than cholesterol.