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Abstract Details
Obeticholic Acid for Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Biomedicines. 2022 Oct 2;10(10):2464. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10102464.
1Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
2Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare, 37024 Verona, Italy.
3Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
Free article
Abstract
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare autoimmune cholestatic liver disease that may progress to fibrosis and/or cirrhosis. Treatment options are currently limited. The first-line therapy for this disease is the drug ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), which has been proven to normalize serum markers of liver dysfunction, halt histologic disease progression, and lead to a prolongation of transplant-free survival. However, 30-40% of patients unfortunately do not respond to this first-line therapy. Obeticholic acid (OCA) is the only registered agent for second-line treatment in UDCA-non responders. In this review, we focus on the pharmacological features of OCA, describing its mechanism of action of and its tolerability and efficacy in PBC patients. We also highlight current perspectives on future therapies for this condition.