Therapeutics: Thyroid hormone receptor

Mouse studies suggest agonizing thyroid hormone receptor could help treat liver fibrosis and scleroderma-associated fibrosis. In a mouse model of liver fibrosis, the endogenous thyroid hormone receptor agonist triiodothyronine (T3) decreased levels of liver fibrosis markers compared with no treatment. In a mouse model of scleroderma, T3 decreased collagen deposition and dermal thickening. Next steps could include testing other thyroid hormone receptor agonists in the models.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Viking Therapeutics Inc. have MB07811 (VK2809), a thyroid hormone receptor β agonist, in Phase I testing to treat hypercholesterolemia and preclinical testing to treat fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). ...