Development of Microbial Therapeutics for Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease: From Mechanistic Investigations to Clinical Trials

NCT ID: NCT06873165

Last Updated: 2025-03-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-01-22

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy and safety of pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila strain NTUH\_Amuc03 (pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03) in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)Patients. The main question it aims to answer is:

Does pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 trend to reduce the body weight, improve abnormal blood lipids , NASLD activity score, and HOMA-IR ?

Researchers will compare pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no Akk) to see if pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 works to MASLD.

Participants will:

1. Take capsule with pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 or a placebo every day for 3 months
2. Visit the clinic once every 4 weeks for checkups and tests

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease(MASLD)is an improved diagnostic standard derived from Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), emphasizing the correlation between fatty liver and metabolic dysfunction. Compared to NAFLD, which requires the exclusion of various conditions for diagnosis, the diagnostic criteria for MASLD can enhance the homogeneity of study subjects. It also addresses various groups with coexisting liver diseases, aiding in the efficiency and applicability of new drug development. MASLD has a prevalence rate of approximately one-fourth of the global population. If left untreated and worsens, it may lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer. Due to the significant medical burden associated with MASLD and the lack of FDA-approved treatments, the development of therapeutic methods for MASLD is an urgent issue. Past literature indicates that diet and gut microbiota play crucial roles in the progression of MASLD. The composition of the diet affects gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function. In cases of dysbiosis, harmful substances produced by gut microbiota, including pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and microbiota-dependent metabolites (MDMs), enter the liver through the portal vein via the leaky gut, resulting in toxicity. The pathogenic pathways exacerbating MASLD through gut microbiota dysbiosis, collectively termed the gut-liver axis, are not fully understood. Some animal studies have found dietary supplements to regulate gut microbiota beneficial for improving MASLD. Although most lack clinical evidence, incorporating food components that regulate gut microbiota and immune function into the diet indeed holds potential for treating MASLD. Next-generation probiotics have been found in past studies to improve liver lipid metabolism and regulate gut microbiota. They may slow the progression of MASLD by modulating the gut-liver axis. Previous studies by our team applied the pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila strain NTUH\_Amuc03 (pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03), in preclinical animal studies to alleviate fatty liver disease progression. In experiments with mice induced with high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diets, pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 trended to reduce the body weight, improve abnormal blood lipids in mice, NASLD activity score, and HOMA-IR. These results indicate the potential of pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 to slow the progression of MASLD. Therefore, this project aims to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of pAKK NTUH\_Amuc03 in MASLD patients through clinical trials.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Placebo

1 capsule per day for 12 weeks

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

1 capsule per day for 12weeks

Active Comparator: AKK-1

1 capsule (with 1000000000 CFU pAKK LWHK0003) per day for 12 weeks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Probiotics

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

1 capsule(with three different dosage) per day for 12 weeks

Active Comparator: AKK-2

1 capsule (with 10000000000 CFU pAKK LWHK0003) per day for 12 weeks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Probiotics

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

1 capsule(with three different dosage) per day for 12 weeks

Active Comparator: AKK-3

1 capsule (with 100000000000 CFU pAKK LWHK0003) per day for 12 weeks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Probiotics

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

1 capsule(with three different dosage) per day for 12 weeks

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Probiotics

1 capsule(with three different dosage) per day for 12 weeks

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo

1 capsule per day for 12weeks

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Akkermansia muciniphila

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Male or female subjects aged between 20 and 70 years old.
* The subject is diagnosed through FibroScan (CAP≧ 260 db/m)and meets one of below .
* the subject's BMI ≧23 kg/m² or waist ≧ 90cm (male) 80cm (Female)
* Fasting glucose≧100 mg/dL or sugar after meal ≧140 mg/dL or HbA1c≧5.7 or diagnosed type II diabetes(including under treatment or not)
* Blood pressure≧ 130/80 mmHg or under medication.
* Blood Triglycerides≧150 mg/dL or under medication.
* Blood HDL ≤ 40 mg/dL (Male) ≤ 50 mg/dL (Female) or under medication.
* If the subject is reproductive women, she should agree to take more than two ways of contraceptive methods.
* The subject is able to provide written informed consent by himself/herself and agrees to comply with all protocol requirements.
* The subject agrees to comply with the following two requirements:

comply with all follow-up visit requirements according to the trial protocol. comply with all requirement regarding fecal samples collection, storage and delivery according to the trial protocol.

Exclusion Criteria

* The subject is pregnant or lactating.
* The subject has received probiotics or prebiotics 14 days prior to visit 1.
* The subject has received any antibiotic (excluding topical agents) or antifungals within 30 days prior to visit 1.
* The subject has received medication affecting evaluating indicators 14 days prior to visit 1, including steroids, immunosuppressant or anti-inflammation drugs hepatitis and lipid, metabolism related compounds, but excluding the following medicines: Statins, Fibrates, Silymarin, Thiazolidinediones, Metformin, Fibrate, Cholestyramine, Ezetimibe, Orlistat, SGLT2i and GLP1-RAs.

If the above-mentioned drugs are used continuously for more than six months and the dosage is not changed during the trial,this situation is accepted.

* The subject has a clinically significant, currently active or underlying diarrhea (loose stools more than three times in 24 hours) of infectious etiologies.
* The subject who has been diagnosed a severe/injury hepatic disease, disease affecting liver function, active inflammatory bowel disease.
* Acute hepatitis caused by viruses or other causes and ALT \> 200 U/L.
* Coronary artery disease with arterial stent surgery in half year.
* Fasting glucose≥ 300 mg/dl or HbA1c\>9%.
* Blood triglyceride≥ 500 mg/dl.
* The subject currently is participating in studies involving other investigational drugs, medical devices, functional foods, or cosmetic within 30 days prior to visit 1.
* The subject has participated in body weight control plan within 60 days prior to visit 1.
* The subject has been aboard for 10 days within 60 days prior to visit 1, or plans to go aboard during this study.
* The subject is special diet.
* The subject is considered by the investigator as not suitable for the trial.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

National Taiwan University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

National Taiwan University Hospital

Taipei, , Taiwan

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Taiwan

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Ming-Shiang Wu, M.D., Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

02-2312-3456

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Ming-Shiang Wu, M.D., Ph.D.

Role: primary

+886-2-2312-3456

Chun-Jen Liu, M.D., Ph.D.

Role: backup

+886-2-2312-3456

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26926530/

The globalization of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Prevalence and impact on world health

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29881825/

Metabolic risk factors are associated with non-hepatitis B non-hepatitis C hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan, an endemic area of chronic hepatitis B

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28930295/

Global burden of NAFLD and NASH: trends, predictions, risk factors and prevention

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

202403035RSC

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.