Emerging therapeutic approaches for the treatment of NAFLD and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most prevalent liver disease in the world, yet there are still no approved pharmacological therapies to prevent or treat this condition. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of severity, ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although NASH is linked to an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis and has now become the leading cause of liver failure-related transplantation, the majority of patients with NASH will ultimately die as a result of complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiometabolic diseases. Importantly, NAFLD is closely linked to obesity and tightly interrelated with insulin resistance and T2DM. Thus, targeting these interconnected conditions and taking a holistic attitude to the treatment of metabolic disease could prove to be a very beneficial approach. This Review will explore the latest relevant literature and discuss the ongoing therapeutic options for NAFLD focused on targeting intermediary metabolism, insulin resistance and T2DM to remedy the global health burden of these diseases.