Hoth Therapeutics Reports Positive Female Preclinical Data Showing HT-VA Restores Cholesterol Levels and Improves Lipid Metabolism in MASLD Model
NEW YORK, March 10, 2026 -- Hoth Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapies for patients with unmet medical needs, today announced new female-specific preclinical results from the second phase of its metabolic disease study evaluating glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).
- HT-VA restores cholesterol to control-diet levels and maintains lower triglycerides compared with semaglutide in western diet–fed female mice.
- Treatment preserved hepatic autophagy and maintained normal liver cellular homeostasis.
- Findings support continued development of HT-VA for metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity and MASLD.
Study Overview and Lipid Metabolism Enhancements
The second phase of the study evaluated serum liver biochemistry and hepatic molecular pathways in female mice fed a western diet to model metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD).
Results demonstrate that GDNF improved lipid metabolism biomarkers and preserved key cellular pathways in the liver compared with western diet controls and the GLP-1 agonist Semaglutide.
Detailed Preclinical Results
GDNF Restores Elevated Cholesterol Levels to Control-Diet Range in Western Diet–Fed Female Mice
- Female mice fed a western diet demonstrated increased serum cholesterol levels relative to control diet animals.
- Treatment with GDNF restored cholesterol concentrations to levels comparable with control diet-fed mice, indicating improved lipid metabolism in the diet-induced metabolic dysfunction model.
GDNF Maintains Lower Triglyceride Levels While Semaglutide Increases Triglycerides in Female Mice
- Female mice treated with Semaglutide while on a western diet showed increased serum triglyceride levels.
- In contrast, GDNF-treated western diet mice maintained lower triglyceride levels, demonstrating a more favorable lipid profile in this study.
Hepatic Homeostasis Markers
- Albumin and Alkaline Phosphatase remain stable across female treatment groups.
