Spherix Global Insights Reports Persistent High Unmet Need in Europe's Evolving MASH Market
Three-quarters of gastroenterologists and hepatologists report high unmet need for MASH therapies, while access to approved treatments remains limited.
Exton, PA, July 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The European market for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is entering a pivotal phase of development as increasing disease recognition converges with the recent approvals of Madrigal’s Rezdiffra (resmetirom) and Novo Nordisk’s Kayshild (semaglutide). As awareness of these therapies builds among specialists, reimbursement and access barriers remain significant across much of Europe.
According to findings from Spherix Global Insights' Market Dynamix™: MASH (EU) 2026, 75% of European gastroenterologists and hepatologists report a high unmet need for MASH therapies. At the same time, specialists estimate that more than 40% of patients living with MASH remain undiagnosed, underscoring the substantial opportunity for future market growth as diagnosis and treatment rates improve.
MASH is increasingly recognized as a major consequence of Europe's expanding metabolic disease burden. Gastroenterologists and hepatologists surveyed report that more than 40% of MASH patients treated within the past year were newly diagnosed, reflecting heightened disease recognition and referral activity across the region. Despite this progress, the asymptomatic nature of the disease, limited awareness among primary care providers, and insufficient screening of at-risk populations are noted as significant factors that impede broader MASH diagnosis.
Nonetheless, general practitioners play a central role in patient identification, serving as the leading source of new MASH referrals, followed by endocrinologists. Looking ahead, gastroenterologists and hepatologists estimate that nearly one-third of patients currently considered at risk could progress to MASH within the next three years. Most specialists report that MASH prevalence has increased over the past three years and expect that trend to continue, signaling further expansion of the diagnosed patient population.
Despite increasing patient volume, therapeutic options remain limited. Surveyed specialists identify the lack of available treatment options as the greatest challenge in managing MASH today. As a result, lifestyle modification remains the foundation of care, although most specialists acknowledge that lifestyle intervention alone is often insufficient. The majority estimate that successful management requires a combination of lifestyle changes and pharmacologic therapy.
Awareness of newly approved MASH therapies is growing across Europe. Approximately half of surveyed specialists report awareness of Rezdiffra's approval, with somewhat higher awareness among hepatologists. Similarly, nearly half are aware that a GLP-1-based therapy has been approved for MASH, although relatively few specifically identify Kayshild or semaglutide by name.
Despite growing awareness, access remains highly variable across European markets due to country-specific reimbursement decisions. As a result, specialists continue to rely primarily on lifestyle modification while selectively incorporating off-label metabolic therapies, particularly GLP-1 receptor agonists, into treatment strategies.
The findings point to a market poised for growth but constrained by access. While therapeutic innovation continues to accelerate, the ability to identify appropriate patients and ensure access to treatment will likely determine the pace of market development over the coming years.
"European specialists clearly recognize the need for effective MASH therapies, but therapeutic innovation alone will not address the challenges facing this market," said Jim Hickey, Gastroenterology Franchise Head at Spherix Global Insights. "Improving patient identification, strengthening referral pathways, and expanding access to treatment will be critical to realizing the full potential of these new therapies."
As additional therapies advance through clinical development and regulatory review, differentiation based on fibrosis outcomes, long-term safety, and real-world effectiveness will likely influence future prescribing patterns. At the same time, expanding screening efforts and improving coordination between general practitioners and specialists may prove essential to addressing the substantial population of patients who remain undiagnosed today.
Findings are drawn from Spherix Global Insights' Market Dynamix™: MASH (EU) 2026, a quantitative survey of 168 gastroenterologists and 80 hepatologists across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Fieldwork was conducted between March 3 and March 30, 2026.
About Market Dynamix™
Market Dynamix™ is an independent service providing strategic guidance through quarterly or semiannual reports, which include market trending and a fresh infusion of event-driven and variable content with each wave. The reports provide an unbiased view of the competitive landscape within rapidly evolving specialty markets, fueled by robust HCP primary research and our in-house team of experts.
About Spherix Global Insights
Spherix Global Insights is a leading independent provider of market intelligence and advisory services for specialty pharmaceutical and biotech markets. By combining physician, patient, and payer perspectives into a single integrated view, Spherix helps brand teams, market access stakeholders, and investors understand how a specialty market actually behaves, not how any one stakeholder describes it. The firm operates eight dedicated therapeutic franchises – Central Nervous System, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Nephrology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, and Rheumatology – alongside a fully dedicated Market Access team. Each franchise is led by hyper-focused analysts and researchers who track these specialty areas full-time, drawing on independently curated communities of vetted practicing specialists, KOLs, patients recruited through treating physicians and advocacy partners, and medical and pharmacy directors at commercial and government payers. Spherix delivers quarterly trending, launch tracking, chart audits, KOL synthesis, patient experience research, and payer and market access intelligence that support confident, strategic decision-making across the pharma lifecycle. Trusted by 19 of the top 20 pharmaceutical and biotech organizations, Spherix has been a go-to resource for more than a decade for leading brands, market access stakeholders, industry media outlets, financial analysts, professional organizations, and patient advocacy groups seeking an unbiased, holistic view of specialty markets.
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Jim Hickey, Gastroenterology Franchise Head Spherix Global Insights 484-879-4284 james.hickey@spherixglobalinsights.com
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