A new study finds that a diabetes drug may combat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a potentially fatal illness for which there is no treatment.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) currently afflicts 20 percent of U.S. adults and its incidence is rapidly growing. This more serious form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a leading cause of liver transplants and, if one is not found, it can lead to death.

This UK trial was the first of its type to look into the action of the drug Victoza (liraglutide) in the treatment of NASH.

The researchers demonstrated that 48 weeks of treatment with the injectable drug found that it cleared evidence of NASH from their livers in four out of 10 patients clearing evidence of NASH from their livers. This was much higher than the effect seen in patients receiving a placebo.

Additionally, patients in the active treatment group showed a higher level of weight loss (about 11 pounds) while receiving medication.  Losing weight is found help reduce NASH.

"Because there are no licensed treatments available for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, there is a large unmet clinical need. This study provides confidence in the further exploration of this class of drugs in NASH,” said lead author Professor Philip Newsome of the research, which is published in The Lancet.