Semaglutide for Preventing Weight Gain After Liver Transplant

Overseen By Mohammad S Siddiqui, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University

Must not be taking: GLP-1RA, SGLT-2 inhibitors

Disqualifiers: BMI ≤ 27, GFR ≤ 25, others

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 72 weeks

50 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether semaglutide can prevent weight gain after a liver transplant. Researchers are also examining its potential to halt the development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) using MRI scans and lab tests. Participants will receive either semaglutide, a medication, or a placebo, an inactive substance that looks the same. Suitable candidates for this trial include individuals who had a liver transplant within the last 8-24 weeks and have diabetes or elevated blood sugar levels. As a Phase 2 trial, this research measures semaglutide's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of people.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot be on certain diabetes medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists or SGLT-2 inhibitors when you start the trial.

Is there any evidence suggesting that semaglutide is likely to be safe for humans?

Research has shown that semaglutide is generally safe for people, including those who have had organ transplants. One study found that semaglutide helped kidney transplant patients with diabetes lower their blood sugar and lose weight, suggesting it might also be safe for liver transplant patients. Additionally, the FDA has approved semaglutide for weight management, supporting its safety.

While side effects can occur with semaglutide, they are usually manageable. Potential trial participants should know that semaglutide has been safely used in other transplant patients and for weight loss. This provides some confidence about its safety in preventing weight gain after a liver transplant. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising for preventing weight gain after liver transplant?

Semaglutide is unique because it tackles post-liver transplant weight gain by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which helps regulate appetite and glucose levels. Unlike existing treatments that might focus on diet and lifestyle changes, semaglutide offers a pharmacological approach, administered conveniently as a weekly injection. Researchers are excited about its potential to provide a consistent, long-term solution for managing weight without relying solely on patient-driven lifestyle adjustments.

What evidence suggests that semaglutide might be an effective treatment for preventing weight gain after liver transplant?

This trial will compare Semaglutide with a placebo to evaluate its effectiveness in preventing weight gain after liver transplant. Research has shown that Semaglutide helps liver transplant patients lose weight. Studies have found that patients can lose about 8% of their weight one year after starting this treatment. Specifically, another study showed that Semaglutide significantly reduced weight in people who received organ transplants. It has also been effective for patients with other transplants, such as kidney transplants. This suggests that Semaglutide could help prevent weight gain after a liver transplant. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mohammad S Siddiqui, MD

Principal Investigator

Virginia Commonwealth University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults aged 18-75 who've had a liver transplant within the last 8-24 weeks. Participants may have diabetes or pre-diabetes, must be able to eat normally, and women must not be pregnant or breastfeeding. Exclusions include those with certain medical conditions like gastroparesis, pancreatitis, specific cancers, severe kidney issues, or uncontrolled diabetic eye problems.

Inclusion Criteria

Ability to provide informed consent

I had a liver transplant surgery 2 to 6 months ago.

My liver transplant is functioning well, according to my doctor.

Exclusion Criteria

I have had cancer after a liver transplant, but not skin cancer.

I am experiencing acute cellular rejection.

You have had an allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of its ingredients.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive semaglutide or placebo subcutaneously once weekly with a 20-week dose escalation period followed by 52 weeks at the maximum tolerated dose

72 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Placebo
• Semaglutide

Trial Overview Researchers are testing if Semaglutide can prevent weight gain and the return of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease after liver transplantation by comparing it to a placebo. The study involves monitoring through MRI scans and lab tests to assess effectiveness.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Semaglutide Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Semaglutide administered subcutaneously (under the skin) once weekly. There will be a 20 week lead in period of dose escalation before reaching the target dose of 2.4mg weekly. Semaglutide will then be administered at the maximum tolerated dose for 52 weeks.

Group II: Placebo Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Placebo administered subcutaneously (under the skin) once weekly.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Virginia Commonwealth University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

732

Recruited

22,900,000+

Novo Nordisk A/S

Industry Sponsor

Trials

1,578

Recruited

3,813,000+

Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen

Novo Nordisk A/S

Chief Executive Officer since 2017

MSc in Finance and Business Administration, Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus University, Denmark

Martin Holst Lange

Novo Nordisk A/S

Chief Medical Officer since 2021

MD from University of Copenhagen

Published Research Related to This Trial

Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has been shown to produce the largest weight loss of any obesity medication, with an average reduction of about 15% of initial body weight over 68 weeks.

In addition to significant weight loss, semaglutide also improves cardiovascular risk factors and physical functioning, making it a promising option for chronic weight management.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Semaglutide for the treatment of obesity. Chao, AM., Tronieri, JS., Amaro, A., et al.[2023]

In a phase 3 trial involving 667 adults with overweight or obesity, oral semaglutide 50 mg taken daily resulted in a significant average weight loss of 15.1% compared to only 2.4% with placebo over 68 weeks, demonstrating its efficacy in weight management.

While semaglutide was effective, it was associated with a higher incidence of adverse events, particularly gastrointestinal issues, affecting 80% of participants, indicating that while it is effective, monitoring for side effects is important.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oral semaglutide 50 mg taken once per day in adults with overweight or obesity (OASIS 1): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Knop, FK., Aroda, VR., do Vale, RD., et al.[2023]

The STEP program is a comprehensive study involving approximately 5,000 participants to evaluate the efficacy and safety of semaglutide 2.4 mg for weight management in adults with obesity or overweight, with results expected in 2020/2021.

The trials will assess weight loss outcomes and tolerability in diverse populations, including those with and without type 2 diabetes, providing valuable insights into long-term weight management strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Semaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5. Kushner, RF., Calanna, S., Davies, M., et al.[2021]

In a phase IIa study involving 145 participants with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), efinopegdutide (10 mg weekly) resulted in a significantly greater reduction in liver fat content (LFC) compared to semaglutide (1 mg weekly), with reductions of 72.7% and 42.3% respectively after 24 weeks (p < 0.001).

Both treatments led to weight loss, with efinopegdutide showing an 8.5% reduction compared to 7.1% for semaglutide, although efinopegdutide was associated with slightly higher gastrointestinal adverse events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A phase IIa active-comparator-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of efinopegdutide in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Romero-Gómez, M., Lawitz, E., Shankar, RR., et al.[2023]

In a phase 2 trial involving 71 patients with NASH-related cirrhosis, semaglutide did not significantly improve liver fibrosis or lead to NASH resolution compared to placebo after 48 weeks.

The safety profile of semaglutide was similar to that of the placebo, with no new safety concerns identified, and common side effects included nausea and diarrhea, but overall liver and kidney function remained stable.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Semaglutide 2·4 mg once weekly in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related cirrhosis: a randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. Loomba, R., Abdelmalek, MF., Armstrong, MJ., et al.[2023]

In a study involving 38 participants with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide did not significantly alter the glucagon response during hypoglycemia compared to placebo, indicating it maintains normal counterregulatory hormone function.

Participants treated with semaglutide experienced a lower increase in noradrenaline and cortisol during hypoglycemia, and reported fewer hypoglycemic symptoms, suggesting a potentially safer profile without compromising cognitive function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of once-weekly semaglutide on the counterregulatory response to hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial. Korsatko, S., Jensen, L., Brunner, M., et al.[2021]

A clinical trial involving 56 subjects with varying degrees of hepatic impairment found that oral semaglutide's pharmacokinetics were similar across all groups, indicating that liver function does not significantly affect how the drug is absorbed and processed in the body.

No safety concerns were identified for patients with hepatic impairment taking semaglutide, suggesting that dose adjustments are unnecessary for these patients, as adverse events were consistent with those seen in other similar medications.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Oral Semaglutide in Subjects With Hepatic Impairment. Baekdal, TA., Thomsen, M., Kupčová, V., et al.[2019]

High-dose once-weekly semaglutide has been shown to significantly reduce weight in patients with obesity or overweight, as demonstrated in four phase 3 clinical trials involving various populations, including those with diabetes.

While gastrointestinal side effects were common, semaglutide was generally well tolerated and also led to improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, such as waist circumference and blood pressure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

High-Dose Once-Weekly Semaglutide: A New Option for Obesity Management. Bradley, CL., McMillin, SM., Hwang, AY., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05424003

Study Details | NCT05424003 | Randomized Double ... The purpose of this research study is to test the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of semaglutide when used to prevent weight gain after liver transplant ...

2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37639288/

Semaglutide is effective in achieving weight loss in liver ... Semaglutide is effective in achieving weight loss in liver transplant recipients. Liver Transpl. 2024 Feb 1;30(2):223-225. doi: 10.1097/LVT.

3. journals.lww.com journals.lww.com/lt/fulltext/2025/10000/management_of_obesity_in_liver_transplant.12.aspx

Management of obesity in liver transplant candidates and... For the 2 studies evaluating incretins as anti-obesity therapy in OLT recipients, an 8% weight loss was observed 1 year after incretin initiation. This is ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11016780/

Safety and efficacy of semaglutide in post kidney transplant ... Semaglutide was found to significantly reduce HbA1c levels and weight in post renal transplant patients with diabetes.

5. journals.lww.com journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/2023/10001/s1318_semaglutide_is_effective_in_achieving_weight.2279.aspx

S1318 Semaglutide Is Effective in Achieving Weight Loss in... We demonstrated that in our cohort of OLT recipients, the use of Semaglutide led to a substantial decrease in weight. Given the high prevalence of post-OLT ...

6. amjtransplant.org amjtransplant.org/article/S1600-6135(25)00862-7/fulltext

Long-Term Outcomes of GLP-1 Use After Liver and ... Use of GLP-1 appears to be a safe agent for use in liver and SLK transplant patients with improvements in weight, BMI and A1c. Side effects were common and ...

7. prnewswire.com prnewswire.com/news-releases/novo-nordisk-to-present-new-wegovy-semaglutide-2-4-mg-data-at-the-2025-american-association-for-the-study-of-liver-diseases-annual-meeting-302596074.html

Novo Nordisk to present new Wegovy® (semaglutide 2.4 ... Novo Nordisk to present new Wegovy® (semaglutide 2.4 mg) data at the 2025 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases annual meeting.