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Bezafibrate for primary biliary cholangitis: time to act on the evidence

After the regulatory rejection of obeticholic acid, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists have emerged as the leading second-line candidates for primary biliary cholangitis, pending definitive approval. Of these, only bezafibrate — a low-cost, widely available generic — has demonstrated long-term efficacy, a fact largely disregarded.

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Fig. 1: Evidence for bezafibrate in second-line PBC treatment and the crucial questions it raises.

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Correspondence to Christophe Corpechot.

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Competing interests

C.C. reports grants from Intercept Pharmaceuticals and Arrow Génériques, and consulting work for Cymabay, Gilead, Ipsen, Calliditas, GSK, Mirum, Advanz, Echosens and Intercept Pharmaceuticals; M.-C.L. reports grants from Gilead and Mirum; consulting work for Advanz, Mirum, Gilead, Ipsen, Falk and GSK; and lectures for Advanz, GSK, Gilead and Ipsen. H.Y. reports advisory board participation for IPSEN and congress participation by invitation from IPSEN. A.V. reports speaker fees from Intercept. A.T. reports consultant work for GSK, Kowa, Kaken Pharmaceuticals, Ipsen, Mirum, AbbVie and Gilead. U.B. reports consulting and/or lecture fees from Abacus, Amgen, Behring, GSK, Ipsen, Mirum and Ono.

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Corpechot, C., Londoño, MC., Villamil, A. et al. Bezafibrate for primary biliary cholangitis: time to act on the evidence. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-025-01135-y

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