Researchers at McMaster University are\u00a0leading preclinical studies\u00a0into\u00a0a novel\u00a0drug\u00a0candidate developed by\u00a0Espervita\u00a0Therapeutics\u00a0that\u00a0has the potential\u00a0to\u00a0prevent and reverse liver fibrosis\u00a0–\u00a0a dangerous,\u00a0disease-induced\u00a0build-up of scar tissue in\u00a0the liver\u00a0that often leads to\u00a0cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0findings point to a\u00a0potential new\u00a0treatment\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0millions\u00a0of people\u00a0living with liver disease,\u00a0addressing\u00a0a critical gap where no approved drugs currently exist in Canada.\u00a0The promising results were\u00a0published\u00a0in January 2026 in\u00a0the journal\u00a0Cell Metabolism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Liver fibrosis is a late-stage symptom of a disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH),\u00a0which\u00a0most often presents in people living with\u00a0obesity or other metabolic conditions,\u00a0like\u00a0type 2 diabetes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In addition to cancer, liver fibrosis can contribute to heart attack and stroke and can\u00a0ultimately\u00a0require\u00a0liver transplantation.\u00a0But despite the severity of these outcomes, researchers say\u00a0that\u00a0treatment options\u00a0for MASH and other liver diseases\u00a0remain\u00a0limited.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Currently, we have\u00a0no\u00a0drugs approved in Canada to treat\u00a0MASH,”\u00a0explains\u00a0Greg Steinberg, a professor in McMaster’s Department of Medicine\u00a0and\u00a0lead\u00a0author of the research. “Right now, patients are typically prescribed a Mediterranean diet and some lifestyle and exercise recommendations, but no\u00a0specific\u00a0medical interventions\u00a0have been approved in Canada.\u00a0And while two therapies\u00a0have recently received\u00a0approved in the US and EU, these agents have only been shown to reduce fibrosis in only about\u00a0one-third of patients.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Steinberg, an executive member of\u00a0NexusHealth\u00a0at McMaster, says that while\u00a0the current\u00a0treatment\u00a0paradigm\u00a0can, in\u00a0some\u00a0cases,\u00a0slow\u00a0the progression of\u00a0liver\u00a0disease,\u00a0it\u00a0generally does\u00a0not\u00a0reverse\u00a0fibrosis-related\u00a0damage that has already occurred.\u00a0But, according to\u00a0the\u00a0early preclinical data,\u00a0a new drug\u00a0candidate\u00a0characterized\u00a0in his lab\u00a0as part of a research collaboration with\u00a0Espervita\u00a0Therapeutics\u00a0does.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In\u00a0the\u00a0study, Steinberg’s research team\u00a0–\u00a0in collaboration with researchers from the United States, France,\u00a0and Australia\u00a0–\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0in disease models\u00a0the powerful\u00a0curative and\u00a0restorative effects of a\u00a0novel small-molecule\u00a0therapy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The drug\u00a0candidate\u00a0– developed\u00a0by\u00a0Espervita\u00a0Therapeutics,\u00a0where Steinberg is chief scientific officer,\u00a0shareholder, and co-founder –\u00a0is being evaluated\u00a0through a research partnership with McMaster University, where scientists have shown that it can\u00a0help control blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol,\u00a0and\u00a0destroy fat build-up\u00a0that causes\u00a0liver fibrosis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0compound, EVT0185,\u00a0was\u00a0first described\u00a0as a\u00a0potential\u00a0treatment for liver cancer, after its promising anti-tumor activity was detailed in\u00a0a paper published in the prestigious journal\u00a0Nature.\u00a0And while it still holds great promise as a cancer therapeutic, this recent\u00a0discovery\u00a0shows\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0also holds promise as a potential\u00a0treatment\u00a0option\u00a0for\u00a0MASH.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There’s a huge unmet need for agents\u00a0that reduce liver fibrosis and also have a positive effect on\u00a0blood glucose and\u00a0cholesterol,” says\u00a0Steinberg, who co-directs\u00a0the\u00a0Centre for Metabolism, Obesity,\u00a0and Diabetes Research\u00a0at McMaster. “This drug\u00a0candidate\u00a0addresses a major therapeutic gap and has the potential to fundamentally change how we treat\u00a0severe\u00a0liver disease\u00a0and, in turn,\u00a0prevent\u00a0liver cancer\u00a0and other complications,\u00a0including diabetes and\u00a0heart\u00a0disease.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new\u00a0small molecule,\u00a0which\u00a0simultaneously\u00a0targets\u00a0two enzymes critical for controlling fat synthesis and fat burning\u00a0called ACLY\u00a0and ACSS2,\u00a0triggers\u00a0what Steinberg describes as a “carbon release valve”\u00a0in the body,\u00a0which stops\u00a0harmful matter from\u00a0accumulating\u00a0in\u00a0the liver and bloodstream\u00a0and instead\u00a0diverts\u00a0it out\u00a0of the body\u00a0via\u00a0urine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Steinberg says\u00a0the\u00a0new\u00a0multi-use\u00a0compound\u00a0is on track to be in clinical trials by 2027, pending a final slate of preclinical and toxicology work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This study was supported by funding from\u00a0Espervita\u00a0Therapeutics,\u00a0the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, MITACS, and McMaster University.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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