Liver Disease clinical trials at University of California Health

40 in progress, 20 open to eligible people

Showing trials for

  • of HM15211 in Subjects

    open to eligible people ages 18-70

    This study is a phase 2 study to Evaluate Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of HM15211 Treatment for 12 Months in Subjects with Biopsy Confirmed NASH

    at UC Davis UCSD

  • NST-6179 in Adult Subjects With Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease (IFALD).

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This is a phase 2a, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of NST-6179 in adult subjects with intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) receiving parenteral nutrition (PN). The study will be conducted in 2 sequential parts. Up to 36 adult subjects diagnosed with IFALD will be enrolled in the study, of which 18 subjects will be enrolled in each of the 2 parts and randomized (2:1) to receive NST-6179 (N=12/part) or matched placebo (N=6/part). Subjects in Part A will receive once daily (QD) oral administration of 800 mg (32 mL solution) NST-6179 or placebo for 4 weeks. The NST-6179 dose for Part B is planned to be 1200 mg QD for 12 weeks. Actual dose, however, will be determined during the safety review meeting.

    at UCSF

  • Following Oral Dosing of Seladelpar to Subjects With Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) and Hepatic Impairment (HI)

    “Volunteer for research and contribute to discoveries that may improve health care for you, your family, and your community!”

    open to eligible people ages 18-80

    The Effect of Hepatic Impairment on The Pharmacokinetics of Seladelpar: An Open-Label Study Following Oral Dosing of Seladelpar to Subjects with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) and Hepatic Impairment (HI)

    at UC Davis

  • Bicalutamide Therapy in Young Women With NAFLD and PCOS

    open to eligible females ages 18-40

    Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or fat-related liver inflammation and scarring is projected to be the leading cause of cirrhosis in the United States (U.S.) within the next few years. Women are at disproportionate risk for NASH, with approximately 15 million U.S. women affected. There is an urgent need to understand risk factors for NASH and its progression in women, and sex hormones may provide a missing link. This study will study the contribution of androgens to liver injury and progression in PCOS and mechanistic role of dysregulated lipid metabolism and visceral adiposity in this process. Such findings will provide the rationale for future efficacy studies evaluating selective androgen receptor (AR) antagonism for NASH in PCOS, or alternatively, the need to directly target visceral adiposity or lipid-specific pathways as part of a precision medicine approach to halt fibrosis progression in the nearly 5 million young women with PCOS and NAFLD in the U.S., who remain at increased risk for early onset and progressive liver disease.

    at UCSF

  • CM for Patients With ALD After Liver Transplant

    open to eligible people ages 18-99

    Alcohol associated liver disease (ALD) refers to liver injury, such as cirrhosis, that is caused by alcohol use. It affects 2 million adults in the U.S. and is now the leading cause of cirrhosis-related hospitalizations, cirrhosis- related deaths, and liver transplantation. Alcohol use disorder (AUD), the root cause of ALD, affects 15 million Americans each year. While research studies have shown that behavioral therapy and medications specific for alcohol use have helped people overcome their alcohol use disorder, there has not been enough information related to how successful these treatments are specifically for people with ALD. This study will look at a behavioral treatment called "contingency management" (CM) that has shown to be effective with people with other substance use disorders. CM is based on the principles of operant conditioning that involves offering prize-based or monetary incentives to patients with substance use disorders to reduce substance use. This study will look at the efficacy and acceptability of CM in patients who received a liver transplant and have evidence of recurrent alcohol use. The proposed study is a pilot randomized controlled trial of 30 patients with ALD who received a liver transplant; 15 will be randomized to receive a 10-week CM intervention while 15 will receive treatment as usual (TAU or control). Subjects will be asked to complete 12 study visits (including Screening and Baseline Visits) that will last 1 to 2 hours each depending on the visit. All visits will be completed via Zoom. Study staff will instruct participants on how to use Zoom, if necessary. During the Screening and Baseline Visits, subjects will be: 1) asked to provide a urine test and blood draw, 2) complete the SCID-5 AUD, a semi-structured interview guide for making the major DSM-5 diagnoses, 3) complete the Iowa Gambling Test which looks at decision-making skills, 4) complete a survey that looks at the subject's quality of life after liver transplant, 4) review how much alcohol the subject has consumed in the last 30 days, 5) and if the subject has received any current AUD treatments. Once the Screening and Baseline visits are completed, subjects will be randomized to either the CM group or the TAU group. During the weekly visits, subjects will be asked to provide blood and urine samples and will be asked if they have had any alcohol since their last visit. All subjects will receive $20 for completing the visits. For those in the CM group, subjects will also receive a CM reward for negative urine and/or blood tests, depending on which results we receive first-with rewards ranging from $5 to $80 depending on the week. Additionally, during weeks 1, 5, and 10, those in the CM group will also complete the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 to assess client satisfaction with CM and complete a semi-structured interview about the CM protocol as well as CM acceptability and feasibility.

    at UCLA

  • Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Impact on Alcohol-related Liver Disease Patient Outcomes, Care and Alcohol Use

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    The study consists of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and feasibility of a stepped alcohol treatment using telemedicine on unhealthy alcohol use in patients with chronic liver disease receiving care in hepatology practices at three sites. Patients who meet eligibility criteria will be randomized to one of two study arms: 1) Stepped Alcohol Treatment (SAT) or, 2) Usual Care (UC). Participants will be randomized separately by site. SAT includes 3 sessions of motivational interviewing followed by referral to addiction medicine for patients who do not reduce unhealthy drinking. Trial outcome measures will be complete at 6 and 12 months following baseline enrollment.

    at UCSF

  • Elucidating Shared Mechanisms Contributing to NAFLD and PsA Disease Severity With Guselkumab Therapy

    open to all eligible people

    While many studies examine Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), little is known about its progression to high-risk nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in PsA patients. Shared disease mechanisms may explain the increased severity in PsA. This study involves two visits from PsA patients with NAFLD and active disease signs (e.g., swollen joint, enthesitis, or psoriatic plaque). It aims to assess the impact of biological therapies on liver disorders, joints, and skin in PsA patients.

    at UCSD

  • Introducing Palliative Care (PC) Within the Treatment of End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD)

    open to eligible people ages 18-120

    This is a comparative effectiveness study of two pragmatic models aiming to introduce palliative care for end stage liver disease patients. The 2 comparators are: Model 1: Consultative Palliative Care (i.e. direct access to Palliative Care provider), Model 2: Trained Hepatologist- led PC intervention (i.e. a hepatologist will receive formal training to deliver Palliative Care services) Primary Outcome: The change in quality of life from baseline to 3 months post enrollment as assessed by FACT-Hep (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Hepatobiliary). 14 Clinical Centers across US are recruited to participate in this study.

    at UCSF

  • Semaglutide Treatment in the Real-world for Fibrosis Due to NAFLD in Obesity and T2DM

    open to eligible people ages 40-79

    Conduct a community intervention study that will 1) validate a screening approach to identify patients at risk for advanced NAFLD in the obese or T2DM population, and 2) test whether semaglutide treatment is effective for the management of significant fibrosis due to NAFLD in high-risk patients.

    at UCSD

  • Check the Safety of Fazirsiran and Learn if Fazirsiran Can Help People With Liver Disease and Scarring (Fibrosis) Due to an Abnormal Version of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Protein

    open to eligible people ages 18-75

    The main aim of this study is to learn if fazirsiran reduces liver scarring (fibrosis) compared to placebo. Other aims are to learn if fazirsiran slows down the disease worsening in the liver, to get information on how fazirsiran affects the body (called pharmacodynamics), to learn if fazirsiran reduces other liver injury (inflammation) and the abnormal Z-AAT protein in the liver, to get information on how the body processes fazirsiran (called pharmacokinetics), to test how well fazirsiran works compared with a placebo in improving measures of liver scarring including imaging and liver biomarkers (substances in the blood that the body normally makes and help show if liver function is improving, staying the same, or getting worse) as well as to check for side effects in participants treated with fazirsiran compared with those who received placebo. Participants will either receive fazirsiran or placebo. Liver biopsies, a way of collecting a small tissue sample from the liver, will be taken twice during this study.

    at UCLA UCSD UCSF

  • Learn About the Safety of Fazirsiran and if it Can Help People With Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Liver Disease With Mild Liver Scarring (Fibrosis)

    open to eligible people ages 18-75

    The liver produces a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT). AAT is normally released into the bloodstream. In some people, the liver makes an abnormal version of the AAT protein, called Z-AAT. Making an abnormal version of the AAT protein can result in liver disease as Z-AAT builds up in liver cells, which leads to liver problems such as liver scarring (fibrosis), continuing liver damage (cirrhosis), and eventually endstage liver disease. Fazirsiran is a medicine that reduces the creation of the Z-AAT protein and thus the build-up of this abnormal protein in the liver. People with this type of liver disease who already have mild liver scarring will take part in the study. They will be treated with fazirsiran or a placebo for about 2 years. This study will check the long-term safety of fazirsiran, whether participants tolerate the treatment and if there are any effects on liver scarring. A liver biopsy, a way of collecting a small tissue sample from the liver, will be taken twice during the study.

    at UCSF

  • Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and Lifestyle Modification for the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

    open to eligible people ages 30-70

    Participants meeting study entry criteria are randomized with equal probability to one of two study groups: (1) Lifestyle modification or (2) Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) with Iifestyle modification, followed for 12 months. The primary goal for the trial is to determine if the investigators can recruit, randomize, and retain participants to perform invasive and non-invasive measurements of NASH and fibrosis, deliver lifestyle modification and demonstrate the safety of VSG. The investigators wish to also understand which of these two interventions is more effective in achieving, 12 months after entry into the trial, a reduction in NAS composed of the non-weighted scores: (1) steatosis 0-3 (2) Inflammation 0-3 and (3) ballooning 0-2. Secondary goals include comparing the two treatment groups for changes in other measured outcomes including MRI assessments of intrahepatic triglyceride and liver elasticity and serum markers. As a pilot study, a sample size of 20 in each group should offer significant information as to the difference in NAS score reduction between to two groups and achieve adequate power to distinguish clinically significant changes in the primary and secondary outcome measures. These data support the overarching objective i.e. to provide evidence that a larger, longer-term clinical outcomes trial is feasible. A goal is for a longer term follow up for 5 years to assess the durability of treatment effects and treatment differences.

    at UCSF

  • Accurate Point of Care Liver Disease Diagnostics

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This research study is being conducted to find out more about techniques to non-invasively evaluate liver disease. The investigators are testing a new technology to evaluate the liver (LiverScope®), and they will compare it to other methods to evaluate the liver, including advanced conventional liver MR and liver FibroScan® ultrasound exams. MR exams and FibroScan® ultrasound exams are common exams used to monitor NAFLD. Conventional MR scanners use magnetic fields and radio waves to make pictures of the liver. LiverScope® is a small, portable MR-based device that uses similar, but simplified technology, and can be used on top of an exam table in an outpatient setting. LiverScope® currently is not approved for clinical use. In this study the investigators will learn how LiverScope® measurements of the liver compare to MR. Study participants will be asked to complete a one-time visit which includes: - LiverScope exam - MR exam - FibroScan exam (optional) - Blood draw - Completion of study questionnaires

    at UCSD

  • Androgens and NAFLD Longitudinal Cohort Study

    open to eligible females ages 18-42

    The researchers want to learn how androgens, a type of sex hormone, might affect nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) in young women over time. NAFLD happens when fat builds up in the liver which can cause damage to the liver such as inflammation or scarring. Young women with a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a high risk for NAFLD, and they often have high androgen levels too. So the researchers are recruiting young women with PCOS as well as those without PCOS, and will compare changes in NAFLD over time between young women with and without PCOS. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health

    at UCSF

  • Functional Assessment in Liver Transplantation

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This will be a prospective cohort study of patients with liver disease. Subjects will undergo geriatric assessments of frailty, functional status, and disability using functional status measures at baseline and at every clinic visit in the pre-transplant setting. Subjects will also answer questions regarding quality of life, personality, and/or cognitive function. Subjects will again undergo assessments at every clinic visit through 12 months after transplant. Then, they will be followed annually.

    at UCSF

  • Hyperpolarized Pyruvate (13C) Magnetic Resonance Imaging In Patients With Fatty Liver Disease

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    The recent development of dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) technology for hyperpolarized (HP) 13C imaging offers a promising new avenue for non-invasively accessing fundamental metabolic changes associated with the progression of fatty liver disease in vivo. The purpose of this pilot study is to optimize sequence parameters for hyperpolarized 13C acquisition in the human liver and determine which metabolic changes can be seen in humans with simple, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) when compared to healthy volunteers.

    at UCSF

  • Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in HIV Database

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of liver conditions associated with fat accumulation that ranges from benign, non-progressive liver fat accumulation to severe liver injury, cirrhosis, and liver failure. The spectrum of NAFLD encompasses simple nonalcoholic steatosis (nonalcoholic fatty liver [NAFL]) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in which there is evidence of hepatocellular injury and/or fibrosis. NAFLD is the most common liver disease in adults and the second leading cause for liver transplantation in the U.S. The natural history of NAFLD in the general population has been well described. The NASH Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in 2002 to further the understanding of the diagnosis, mechanisms, progression and therapies of NASH. This effort has resulted in numerous seminal studies in the field. However, NASH CRN studies have systematically excluded persons living with HIV (PLWH) , as NAFLD in PLWH was thought to be different from that in the general population due to HIV infection, antiretroviral therapy (ART), concomitant medications and co-infections. This resulted in major knowledge gaps regarding NAFLD in the setting of HIV infection. Thus, the natural history of NAFLD in PLWH is largely unknown. The goal of this ancillary study of NAFLD and NASH in Adults with HIV (HIV NASH CRN), is to conduct a prospective, observational, multicenter study of NAFLD in PLWH (HIV-associated NAFLD).

    at UCSD UCSF

  • Prevalence and Predictors of Hepatic Steatosis in Persons Living With HIV

    open to eligible people ages 18-80

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of liver conditions associated with fat accumulation that ranges from benign, non-progressive liver fat accumulation to severe liver injury, cirrhosis, and liver failure. NAFLD is the most common liver disease in US adults and the second leading cause for liver transplantation in the US. The natural history of NAFLD in the general population has been well described, with those with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL, or simple steatosis) destined to have rare incidence of hepatic events compared to those with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), who are at high risk for future development of cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. The NASH Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in 2002, through the mechanism of RFA-DK-01-025, to further the understanding of diagnosis, mechanisms, progression and therapies of NASH. The NASH CRN effort has resulted in numerous seminal studies in the field. However, NASH CRN studies have systematically excluded persons living with HIV (PLWH), as NAFLD in these persons was thought to be different from that in the general population due to HIV, ART, concomitant medications, and co-infections. This has resulted in major knowledge gaps regarding NAFLD in the setting of HIV. This ancillary study of NAFLD and NASH in Adults with HIV (HIV NASH CRN), HNC 001 goal is to examine the prevalence of hepatic steatosis and NAFLD in a large, multicenter, and multiethnic cohort of PLWH (Steatosis in HIV Study)

    at UCSD UCSF

  • Quantitative Ultrasound to Assess Steatotic Liver Disease in Children

    open to eligible people ages 9-18

    This research study is being conducted to find out more about advanced ultrasound techniques to non-invasively evaluate liver disease in children. The investigators are developing advanced techniques for analyzing ultrasound data and images of the liver, and they will compare it to other established methods used to evaluate the liver, including liver MRI. The investigators plan to develop and test the advanced analysis techniques using conventional full-size ultrasound machines and, if possible, small handheld devices. Our goals are: - To assess the accuracy of the advanced ultrasound analysis techniques in children - To implement and assess these advanced technique on small handheld ultrasound devices, if possible

    at UCSD

  • Social & Contextual Impact on Children Undergoing Liver Transplantation

    open to eligible people ages up to 70 years

    The social determinants of health have a large impact on health. For example, neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation is associated with increased risk of medication non-adherence, graft failure, and death in children after liver transplant. In order to address these socioeconomic inequities in outcomes, a more granular understanding of how the social determinants of health impact outcomes is needed. In this observational prospective cohort, caregivers of children undergoing liver transplantation will complete surveys and undergo in-depth, qualitative interviews. The survey will assess comprehensively for the social determinants of health (e.g. material economic hardship, health literacy, social connectedness, primary care quality, etc). The qualitative interviews will identify barriers and facilitators that socioeconomically deprived children/families have to obtaining the ideal outcome and identify health system opportunities to integrate social needs and medical care. Data will be linked to an existing prospective cohort study (The Society for Pediatric Liver Transplant registry) to assess the impact of social risk on outcomes after transplant. Healthcare providers who take care of children undergoing liver transplant will also be included in the qualitative interviews. The goal of including this group in the study is to determine the health systems barriers and facilitators to social needs screening and intervention.

    at UCSF

  • MGL-3196 (Resmetirom) in Patients With NASH and Fibrosis

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    A double-blind placebo controlled randomized Phase 3 study to determine if 80 or 100 mg of MGL-3196 as compared with placebo resolves NASH and/or reduces fibrosis on liver biopsy and prevents progression to cirrhosis and/or advanced liver disease

    at UCSD

  • Semaglutide, and Cilofexor/Firsocostat, Alone and in Combination, in Adults With Cirrhosis Due to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

    “Volunteer for research and contribute to discoveries that may improve health care for you, your family, and your community!”

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    The goals of this clinical study are to learn more about the study drugs, semaglutide (SEMA) with the fixed-dose combination (FDC) of cilofexor/firsocostat (CILO/FIR), and understand whether they cause fibrosis improvement and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) resolution in participants with cirrhosis due to NASH.

    at UC Davis UCSD UCSF

  • Maralixibat in Infant Participants With Cholestatic Liver Diseases Including Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC) and Alagille Syndrome (ALGS).

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This study is designed to assess whether the investigational drug maralixibat, is safe and well tolerated in children <12 months of age with Alagille Syndrome [ALGS] or Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis [PFIC].

    at UCSF

  • Alcoholic Liver Disease and the Gut Microbiome

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    Background: Significant sex differences exist in regard to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD). To date, no studies have examined the brain-gut-microbiome (BGM) axis (which is the relationship between the gut, brain, and the bacteria within the gut) and sex-differences in AUD and ALD. Aims: 1) Demonstrate baseline sex differences in the microbiome and metatranscriptome of AUD and ALD and correlate those differences to severity, 2) determine if these baseline sex differences predicts abstinence or ALD related outcomes, and 3) show how altering the microbiome can decrease the severity of AUD and ALD in a sexdependent manner. Hypothesis: Our project is aimed to explore the hypothesis that sex-related differences of the BGM axis in AUD and ALD explains the variation in patient severity and outcome by sex, and that alterations of the BGM axis can decrease the severity of AUD and ALD in a sex-dependent manner. Methods: A pilot randomized placebo (VSL#3 vs placebo) control trial will be performed in patients with AUD and ALD for 6 months. Questionnaire data, clinical labs, serum, and feces for shotgun metagenomics will be collected at baseline, 3-months, and 6-months. Anticipated Results: Patients with severe AUD/ALD will have more microbes and microbial genes associated with inflammation. These differences will predict outcomes at 6-months and that changes of this baseline microbiome with VSL#3 will lead to more positive outcomes than placebo, with men having greater benefit from VSL#3 than women. Implications and Future Studies: The discovery of the mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in AUD/ALD is needed for the development of personalized recommendations for prevention and treatment in men and women

    at UCLA

  • Learn About the Long-Term Safety of Fazirsiran and if Fazirsiran Can Help People With Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Liver Disease

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    The main aim of this study is to learn if fazirsiran is safe during long-term use in people with liver disease caused by the abnormal Z-alpha-1 antitrypsin (Z-AAT) protein. People who are currently taking part in or have completed previous fazirsiran studies (AROAAT2001 [NCT03945292] or AROAAT2002 [NCT03946449]) can continue to receive fazirsiran in this study. Participants will receive fazirsiran every 3 months for almost 2 years and will then be followed for an additional 6 months. The study may also provide information on whether fazirsiran has a long-term effect in reducing liver fibrosis or slowing down the progression of liver fibrosis in people with liver disease due to the abnormal Z-AAT protein.

    at UCSD

  • Angiotensin 2 for AKI After OLT

    Sorry, accepting new patients by invitation only

    Kidney injury is a common complication following liver transplantation and is associated with a higher complication rate and increased risk of death. While there are many factors that likely contribute to kidney injury in the perioperative period, a relative low serum level of angiotensin 2 (Ang 2) (a protein hormone that causes blood vessels to narrow) found in patients with liver cirrhosis (late stage of liver damage) may increase their risk of developing acute kidney injury (sudden episode of kidney failure or damage). We propose to investigate how early administration of Ang 2, a new vasopressor drug approved by the FDA in December 2017 for patients with low blood pressure, during the intra-operative period of liver transplant surgery affects the rate of kidney injury after transplantation. Patients who are deemed appropriate candidates for the study will be randomized 1:1 to the treatment and control groups. The intervention period of the study will occur in the operating room during transplant surgery and will be performed by their anesthesiologists. In the Treatment group, patients will receive Ang 2 infusions in addition to other standard vasopressors while patients in the control group will receive standard vasopressors alone. The infusion of Ang 2 in the treatment group will continue through the duration of the surgery and will be stopped prior to leaving the operating room. Both the treatment group and the control group will then be followed for 14 days to evaluate rates of kidney injury and to look for any complications. The follow up period will be extended to 28 days to look at in-hospital mortality rates in both groups. The daily follow up analysis will occur while the enrolled patients are inpatient following their transplantation surgery and will be done by looking at lab values and other data that is routinely gathered by their managing teams. This study will serve as a pilot study to evaluate feasibility of our protocol and to collect some preliminary data on the use of Ang 2 in this patient population. As such we plan to enroll approximately 30 patients who have accepted an offer to receive a donor liver. We hope to reach our goal enrollment within 5 months of starting the study.

    at UCLA

  • Whether Semaglutide Works in People With Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

    “Volunteer for research and contribute to discoveries that may improve health care for you, your family, and your community!”

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    Semaglutide is a medicine studied in patients with NASH. Semaglutide is a well-known medicine, which is already used by doctors to treat type 2 diabetes in many countries. Participants will either get semaglutide or a dummy medicine - which treatment participants get is decided by chance. Participants will need to inject themselves with medicine under the skin. Participants will need to do this once a week. The study will last for about 5 years. Participants will have up to 21 clinic visits and 9 phone calls with the clinical staff during the study. Some of the clinic visits may be spread over more than one day. Participants with other chronic liver diseases cannot take part in this study. Women cannot take part in the study if they are pregnant, breast-feeding or plan to become pregnant during the study period.

    at UC Davis UCSD UCSF

  • NeuroFLiPP: Parametric PET of Neuroinflammation in Fatty Liver Disease

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD) affect about 6 million people in the U.S. and are the fifth leading cause of death for adults over 65. Recent research is investigating how chronic liver diseases like Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), which affects one-third of the U.S. population, might influence ADRD through the liver-brain axis. MASLD shares risk factors with Alzheimer's, such as diabetes and hypertension, and studies have linked MASLD to increased risks of cognitive decline and ADRD. Mouse-model studies suggest that chronic liver inflammation in MASLD can induce neuroinflammation and accelerate Alzheimer's pathology, highlighting the importance of studying the liver-brain connection to identify new therapeutic targets for ADRD. The goal of this research is to develop a practical PET imaging method using 18F-FDG to simultaneously assess liver and brain inflammation in patients with MASLD-related ADRD. This approach leverages dynamic FDG-PET scanning and advanced tracer kinetic modeling to quantify glucose transport, overcoming limitations of traditional imaging methods that cannot noninvasively assess chronic liver inflammation. The new method aims to enable comprehensive imaging of liver-brain inflammation crosstalk, validated against the 18F-DPA-714 radiotracer. Success in this project could provide a valuable imaging tool for linking liver inflammation with neuroinflammation and cognitive decline, advancing clinical research and potentially uncovering new pathways for ADRD treatment

    at UC Davis

  • Whether a Combination of 2 Medicines (NNC0194 0499 and Semaglutide) Works in People With Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This study is being done to see if a combination of 2 medicines (called NNC0194-0499 and semaglutide) can reduce liver damage in patients with non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NNC0194-0499 is a new medicine which works in the liver. Semaglutide is a well-known medicine, which is already used by doctors to treat type 2 diabetes in many countries. It also helps with weight loss and may reduce liver damage, and so prevent future liver complications. It works in a different way to NNC0194 0499. The 2 medicines may work better together than on their own. The study will also look at a combination of semaglutide and another weight-loss medicine called NNC0174-0833, which may be another treatment option for NASH. Each week, participants will get 2 injections. These could be 2 of the 3 medicines OR 1 of the medicines and a placebo OR 2 placebo injections. Which treatment participants get is decided by chance. A placebo is a dummy medicine which looks like the real medicine but doesn't contain any active medicine. The study will last for about 19 months. Participants will have 14 clinic visits and 9 phone calls with the study doctor. Participants will have 1 or 2 liver biopsies (tiny pieces of liver tissue) - one at the start (if participants have not had a biopsy recently) and one at the end of the study treatment. Women: Women cannot take part if pregnant, breast-feeding or planning to become pregnant during the study period.

    at UC Davis UCSD

  • Romidepsin in Treating Patients With Lymphoma, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, or Solid Tumors With Liver Dysfunction

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of romidepsin in treating patients with lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or solid tumors with liver dysfunction. Romidepsin may stop the growth of cancer cells by entering the cancer cells and by blocking the activity of proteins that are important for the cancer's growth and survival.

    at UC Davis

  • Saroglitazar Magnesium 4 Mg in the Treatment of NAFLD in Women with PCOS (EVIDENCES VII)

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This is a multicenter, phase 2A, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Saroglitazar Magnesium in women with well characterized PCOS.

    at UCSF

  • Belapectin for the Prevention of Esophageal Varices in NASH Cirrhosis

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This seamless, adaptive, two-stage, Phase 2b/3, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel-groups, placebo-controlled study will assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of belapectin compared with placebo in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis and clinical signs of portal hypertension but without esophageal varices at baseline.

    at UCSD

  • Vitamin E Dosing Study

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This is a multicenter, randomized, double masked, placebo-controlled, parallel treatment groups dosing trial of Vitamin E in adult nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

    at UCSD UCSF

  • Database of Infants With Cholestasis

    Sorry, not currently recruiting here

    Biliary atresia, idiopathic neonatal hepatitis, and specific genetic cholestatic conditions are the most common causes of jaundice and hyperbilirubinemia that continue beyond the newborn period. The long term goal of the Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN) is to establish a database of clinical information and plasma, serum, and tissue samples from cholestatic children to facilitate research and to perform clinical, epidemiological and therapeutic trials in these important pediatric liver diseases.

    at UCSF

  • Genetic Collection Protocol

    Sorry, not currently recruiting here

    This study involves the one-time collection of whole blood or saliva samples for the extraction and storage of DNA for use in ongoing and future ChiLDReN studies.

    at UCSF

  • Longitudinal Study of Genetic Causes of Intrahepatic Cholestasis (LOGIC)

    Sorry, currently not accepting new patients, but might later

    Cholestasis is a condition in which bile is not properly transported from the liver to the small intestine. Cholestasis can be caused by an array of childhood diseases, including the genetic diseases Alagille syndrome (ALGS), alpha-1 antitrypsin (a-1AT) deficiency, bile acid synthesis and metabolism defects, and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) or benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis(BRIC). This study will investigate the natural history and progression of the four previously mentioned cholestatic liver diseases to provide a better understanding of the causes and effects of the diseases.

    at UCSF

  • Longitudinal Study of Mitochondrial Hepatopathies

    Sorry, currently not accepting new patients, but might later

    The specific aims of this study are (1) to determine the clinical phenotypes and natural history of hepatic RC and FAO disorders, (2) to determine the correlation between genotype and phenotype, (3) to determine if circulating biomarkers reflect diagnosis and predict liver disease progression and survival with the native liver, (4) to determine the clinical outcome of these disorders following liver transplantation, and (5) to develop a repository of serum, plasma, urine, tissue and DNA specimens that will be used in ancillary studies. To accomplish these aims, the ChiLDREN investigators at clinical sites (currently 15 sites) will prospectively collect defined data and specimens in a uniform fashion at fixed intervals in a relatively large number of subjects. Clinical information and DNA samples to be collected from subjects and their parents will enhance the potential for meaningful research in these disorders. A biobank of subject specimens and DNA samples will be established for use in ancillary studies to be performed in addition to this study.

    at UCSF

  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Parametric PET (FLiPP) Study

    “Comparison of imaging techniques used to evaluate patients with liver disease”

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    The goal of this study is to evaluate non-invasive imaging techniques for determining liver steatosis (fat), inflammation (abnormal tissue swelling), and fibrosis (abnormal tissue scarring).In addition, the study group will be using other test measures including personal demographics, laboratory blood test results, and imaging measurements to determine the severity of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), inflammation, and fibrosis.

    at UC Davis

  • Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Database 3

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    The NAFLD Database 3 will enroll approximately 1500 adult patients and 750 pediatric patients suspected or known to have NAFLD or NASH-related cirrhosis. To elucidate, through the cooperative effort of a multidisciplinary and multicenter group of collaborators, the etiology, natural history, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of NAFLD, and in particular its more severe form of NASH and its complications.

    at UCSD UCSF

  • Quantifying Body Composition and Liver Disease in Children Using Free-Breathing MRI and MRE

    Sorry, accepting new patients by invitation only

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to measure liver fat content and fatty tissues in the body, and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is used to measure liver stiffness. The information from MRI and MRE are used to understand risk factors and diagnose liver diseases, such as fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. However, current MRI and MRE scans need to be performed during a breath-hold, which may be challenging or impossible in children and infants. The goal of this research project is to develop and evaluate new free-breathing MRI and MRE technology to improve the comfort and diagnostic accuracy for children and infants.

    at UCLA

Our lead scientists for Liver Disease research studies include .