Cholic Acid for Hepatic Steatosis in Lipodystrophy

NCT ID: NCT00457639

Last Updated: 2025-08-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 18 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2006-04-30
• Study Completion Date: 2011-04-30

Brief Summary

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cholic acid therapy in treating lipodystrophy patients with hepatic steatosis. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study.

Detailed Description

Lipodystrophies are rare disorders characterized by selective loss of adipose tissue and predisposition to develop insulin resistance and its associated metabolic complications such as dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus and hepatic steatosis. Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis or steatohepatitis caused by excessive accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes, in fact, is a common feature of these disorders. Often a cause for significant morbidity and even mortality in lipodystrophic patients, hepatic steatosis poses a significant therapeutic challenge. Recent insight into the role of primary bile acids, cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, which are endogenous ligands for the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), in regulating hepatic triglyceride homeostasis offers new treatment options for hepatic steatosis. Cholic acid was shown to inhibit hepatic triglyceride accumulation by more than 50% in a mouse model of hepatic steatosis and hypertriglyceridemia. Cholic acid has been previously used to treat inborn errors of bile acid synthesis in children without any side effects. In other studies in adults, cholic acid has been reported to be well tolerated. Therefore, we propose to investigate a potentially safe therapeutic option for its efficacy in reducing hepatic steatosis in patients with lipodystrophies.

Conditions

Hepatic Steatosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Cholic Acid active capsules

Cholic Acid weight based dose for 6 months double-blind

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Cholic Acid

Intervention Type: DRUG

Capsules of active Cholic Acid or matching placebo, total dose is 15 mg/kg per day, maximum dose of 1500 mg per day, taken PO, BID.

Placebo for Cholic Acid

Placebo for Cholic Acid for 6 months double-blind

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Cholic Acid

Intervention Type: DRUG

Capsules of active Cholic Acid or matching placebo, total dose is 15 mg/kg per day, maximum dose of 1500 mg per day, taken PO, BID.

Interventions

Cholic Acid

Capsules of active Cholic Acid or matching placebo, total dose is 15 mg/kg per day, maximum dose of 1500 mg per day, taken PO, BID.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients with lipodystrophies as diagnosed by clinical criteria.
• Hepatic steatosis (>5.6% hepatic triglyceride content) as demonstrated by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
• Age 6-70 years.
• Alcohol intake of less than 40 g per week.

Exclusion Criteria

• Laboratory or other histologic findings highly suggestive of liver disease due to causes other than non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, such as chronic viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, biliary obstruction or genetic liver diseases such as Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
• Treatment with drugs associated with steatohepatitis, e.g., corticosteroids, high dose estrogens, methotrexate, amiodarone, , sulfasalazine, or oxacillin in the 6 months prior to the study.
• Decompensated liver disease as evidenced by clinical features of hepatic failure (variceal bleeding, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy etc.) and laboratory investigations (prolonged prothrombin time, hypoalbuminemia, presence of esophageal varices etc.)
• Evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma: alpha-fetoprotein levels greater than 200 ng/ml and/or liver mass on imaging study suggestive of liver cancer.
• Use of drugs which can potentially decrease hepatic steatosis during previous 3 months; ursodeoxycholic acid, high-dose vitamin E, betaine, acetylcysteine and choline. Thiazolidinediones are allowed if dose has been stable for 3 months prior to screening.
• Significant systemic or major illnesses other than liver disease, such as congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory failure, renal failure (serum creatinine >2 mg/dL), acute pancreatitis, organ transplantation, serious psychiatric disease, and malignancy, that could interfere with the trial and adequate follow up.
• Acute medical illnesses precluding participation in the studies.
• Known HIV-infected patient.
• Current substance abuse.
• Pregnant or lactating women.
• Hematocrit of less than 30%. - History of weight loss during past 3 months.
• Patients on bile acid binding resins, cholestyramine, colestipol, colesevelam.
• Hypersensitivity or intolerance to CA or any components of its formulation

• Minimum Eligible Age: 6 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

FDA Office of Orphan Products Development

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Abhimanyu Garg

PI

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Abhimanyu Garg, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Locations

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, United States

Countries

United States

References

Ahmad Z, Subramanyam L, Szczepaniak L, Simha V, Adams-Huet B, Garg A. Cholic acid for hepatic steatosis in patients with lipodystrophy: a randomized, controlled trial. Eur J Endocrinol. 2013 Apr 15;168(5):771-8. doi: 10.1530/EJE-12-0969. Print 2013 May.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 23447519 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

FD003085

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

STU 122010-032

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id