Effects of Empagliflozin on Fibrosis and Cirrhosis in Chronic Hepatitis B

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2025-12-31
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) affects 257million individuals worldwide. In 2017, it caused around 39.7 million cases of cirrhosis and 0.4 million cirrhosis-related deaths in 2017. However, there is no specific treatment for liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. Although nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) profoundly suppress viral replication, fibrosis/cirrhosis progression can still occur in NA-treated patients.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter type-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are antidiabetic drugs that may prevent fibrosis/cirrhosis progression by reducing hepatic steatosis/inflammation, dampening renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) activation, and reducing fluid retention, effects of which are independent of glycemic control. Clinical studies in diabetic patients show SGLT2 inhibitors reduce hepatis steatosis/inflammation, regress ascites (a cirrhotic complication), and improve liver function parameters and survival prognosis in terms of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. There are currently no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on role of SGLT2 inhibitors in preventing fibrosis/cirrhosis progression in CHB patients. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and transient elastography (TE) are non-invasive techniques for liver stiffness measurement (LSM), although MRE is more accurate than TE.

The investigators propose a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to compare effect of empagliflozin (an SLGT2 inhibitor) with placebo (1:1 ratio) in preventing fibrosis progression in both diabetic and non-diabetic NA-treated CHB patients with advanced fibrosis/compensated cirrhosis. 228 patients will be randomly sampled from our pre-existing TE database. Empagliflozin 10mg daily will be given to treatment arm. Placebo pills will be manufactured identical in appearance to empagliflozin. Subjects will receive active or placebo pills for three years, and undergo clinical, anthropometric and laboratory assessments (at baseline, weeks 8, 16, and every 4 months thereafter). They will undergo LSM by TE at baseline, end of first, second and third year, and by MRE at baseline and end of third year. Primary outcome is difference in change to liver stiffness (measured by MRE) from baseline between the two groups at the end of third year.

The study results will determine whether SGLT2 inhibitors can prevent hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis progression in NA-treated CHB patients.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong
• Collaborator: Research Grant Council
• Treatments: Empagliflozin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients will be recruited if they have significant/advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis confirmed by MRE

Exclusion Criteria:

1. decompensated cirrhosis (variceal bleeding, ascites, hepatic hydrothorax, hepatic encephalopathy),

2. portal vein thrombosis,

3. alcohol intake >20g within last 2 years,

4. concurrent chronic liver disease (chronic hepatitis C infection, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis, primary biliary cholangitis, drug-induced),

5. history of malignancy including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),

6. pregnancy,

7. contraindications to empagliflozin (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45mL/min/1.73m2, recurrent genitourinary tract infections, gangrene, allergy),

8. contraindications to MRI (e.g., claustrophobia, implanted devices with ferromagnetic properties).