SAN DIEGO — An experimental obesity drug from Eli Lilly significantly reduced liver fat in a small analysis, supporting further studies of the treatment against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, an increasingly common condition that lacks approved treatments.

Among 98 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, those on the highest dose tested of the drug, retatrutide, experienced an 86% decrease in liver fat over 48 weeks, with most of the reduction occurring early on in treatment, according to data presented here at the American Diabetes Association conference Monday.

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Additionally, 93% of people on the highest dose achieved resolution of fatty liver disease, defined as having 5% or less liver fat.

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