- Thinly traded nano cap Galmed Pharmaceuticals (GLMD +13.1%) enjoys the NASH rally stoked by Allergan's (AGN +1.7%) generous acquisition of Tobira Therapeutics (TBRA +0.9%). Shares have rallied over 46% in a week.
- Today, the company announced that it inked an agreement with the UC-San Diego School of Medicine to conduct a Phase 1/2 study, ARTISAN, assessing Aramchol in a juvenile population with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The trial is expected to commence in H1 2017.
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Aramchol, a conjugate of cholic acid and arachidic acid, is in Phase 2 development for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
- There is a first-to-market horse race among drug developers for a NASH treatment considering it affects ~5% of Americans. As many as 20% have a milder condition known as "fatty liver."