The efficacy of obeticholic acid in treating liver fibrosis

Obeticholic acid(Obeticholic acid) is a drug used to treat liver fibrosis. It belongs to a class of drugs called FXR agonists, which work by activating bile acid receptors. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a disease in which progressive inflammation, fibrosis, and sclerosis of medium- to large-sized bile ducts leads to strictures of the bile ducts for which there is no effective drug therapy. A phase 2 trial of obeticholic acid in 77 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis over 24 weeks showed a reduction in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP, a marker of liver injury) with obeticholic acid at 5 and 10 mg doses. These encouraging studies warrant further study to observe clinical response to treatment.