Placebo-controlled, Proof-of-concept Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Lanifibranor Alone and in Combination With SGLT2 Inhibitor EmpaGliflozin in patiEnts With NASH and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The study in the T2DM population is intended to confirm the lanifibranor effect versus placebo on glycemic control and assess a positive effect of the combination of lanifibranor with an SGLT2 inhibitor on glycemic control.


Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female, aged ≥ 18 years at the time of signing informed consent
2. Diagnosis of NASH, based on histology or cT1≥875ms assessed by LiverMultiScan or cT1≥825ms assessed by LiverMultiScan and hepatic fat content ≥ 10% assessed by MRI-PDFF at screening
3. HbA1c at screening ≥ 7.0 and ≤ 10.0%, on diet alone, or on metformin and/or dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor (DPP-IVi) therapy. Both with doses to be stable for 3 months
4. Negative pregnancy test at Screening for females of childbearing potential or at least two-year post-menopausal.

Exclusion Criteria:

Liver-related:

1. Documented causes of chronic liver disease other than NASH
2. Histologically documented liver cirrhosis (fibrosis stage F4)
3. History or current diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
4. History of or planned liver transplant
5. Documented history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
6. ALT or AST \> 5 × upper limit of normal (ULN)
7. Abnormal liver function as defined by central laboratory evaluation:

   Albumin \< LLN INR ≥ 1.3 (unless patient is on anticoagulants) Total bilirubin level ≥ 1.5 mg/dL (25.7 µmol/L) (patients with a documented history of Gilbert's syndrome can be enrolled if direct bilirubin is ≤ 0.45 mg/dL (7.7 μmol/L) )
8. Hemoglobin \< 110 g/L (11 g/dL) for females and \< 120 g/L (12 g/dL) for males
9. WBC \< LLN. A lower count is acceptable in patients with benign ethnic neutropenia, if considered to be clinical insignificant by the investigator
10. Platelet count \< 140,000/µL
11. ALP \> 2 × ULN
12. Patient currently receiving any approved treatment for NASH or obesity
13. Current or recent history (\< 5 years) of significant alcohol consumption
14. Administration of drugs known to produce hepatic steatosis in the 6 months prior to Screening.

    Diabetes related:
15. Diabetes mellitus other than type 2
16. Diabetic ketoacidosis at Screening
17. Current treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), insulin or sulfonylurea or treatment within the last 3 months prior to Screening
18. Patients on pioglitazone in the last 12 months prior to Screening.
19. Patients on metformin, DPP-IVi, thiazide or furosemide diuretics, beta-blockers, or other chronic medications with known adverse effects on glucose tolerance levels, unless on stable doses in last 3 months

    Obesity related:
20. BMI\>45 kg/m2 at screening
21. Introduction of an anti-obesity drug or restrictive bariatric surgery in the past 12 months prior to Screening or planned bariatric surgery through Week 24.

Cardiovascular related:

21. History of or current unstable cardiac dysrhythmias 22. Unstable heart failure 23. Uncontrolled hypertension 24. Stroke or transient ischemic attack

General safety:

25. Significant systemic or major illnesses other than liver disease and pulmonary disease, organ transplantation, serious psychiatric disease, that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude treatment with lanifibranor and/or adequate follow up 26. Renal impairment measured as estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) value \< 60 mL/min 27. Concomitant treatment with PPAR-⍺ agonists (fibrates) 28. Patients on Vitamin E at doses ≥ 400 IU/day; doses of ≥ 400 IU/day are allowed when no qualitative change in dose for 6 months prior to Screening 29. Have a known hypersensitivity to any of the IMPs 30. Previous exposure to lanifibranor or empagliflozin 31. Present pregnancy/lactation 32. Metallic implant of any sort that prevents MRI examination 33. Participation in any clinical trial of an approved or non approved investigational medicinal product/device within 3 months from Screening or five half-lives of the investigational drug from Screening.