The rate of growth of the pharma pipeline slowed last year as oncology and rare diseases tightened their grip on R&D. There are also further signs of China’s rise in importance in the industry.

The former Octeta is expanding the ongoing Phase IIb study of its second-generation insulin sensitizer. An insulin sensitizer with a better safety profile than first-generation drugs like Actos may provide a backbone therapy for NASH, the company believes.

Although it is the first company to reach Phase III in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, Intercept has a long road ahead with a 2,500-patient trial that will include a 72-week interim look that could lead to initial approval in the U.S. and EU.

The private US firm Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC) has presented Phase IIb data for its insulin sensitiser drug candidate that it says has a novel metabolic action that should avoid the side-effects that have damaged the glitazone drug class.