Anti-Fibrotic Effects of Losartan In Nash Evaluation Study (FELINE)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01051219 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : January 18, 2010
Last Update Posted : October 7, 2015
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This is a randomized, controlled trial to determine whether Losartan is effective at slowing down, halting or reversing liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Liver fibrosis is the accumulation of tough, fibrous scar tissue in the liver which occurs in patients with NASH. NASH resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol. The major feature in NASH is fat in the liver, along with inflammation and damage, which may lead to cirrhosis, in which the liver is permanently damaged and scarred and no longer able to function properly.
Primary hypothesis:
That losartan is superior to placebo in reversing, slowing down or halting fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, after 24 months of treatment.
Secondary hypothesis:
- That the safety profile of the angiotensin receptor blocker (losartan) in this patient population is acceptable
- That losartan can prevent clinical deterioration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- That serum, radiological and histological markers of fibrosis correlate in these patients over a 24 month period
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis | Drug: Losartan | Phase 3 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 45 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Randomised, Controlled Trial of Losartan as an Anti-fibrotic Agent in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis |
Study Start Date : | May 2011 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | November 2014 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | December 2014 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Active Comparator: Losartan, daily medication
50 milligrams Losartan to be taken orally daily
|
Drug: Losartan
50 milligrams to be taken orally, daily
Other Name: Losartan also known as Cozaar |
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
A matched placebo will be given for patients to take once daily
|
Drug: Losartan
50 milligrams to be taken orally, daily
Other Name: Losartan also known as Cozaar |
- The primary outcome will be change in Kleiner fibrosis score, [Kleiner DE et al Hepatology 2005], based on histological fibrosis stage (as judged by two independent blinded histopathologists from liver biopsies), from pre-treatment to end-of-study [ Time Frame: trial entry, end of study (2 years) ]
- Change in radiological (fibroscan) and serological (ELF) markers of fibrosis [ Time Frame: trial entry, 48 weeks, 96 weeks ]
- change in NAFLD activity score (NAS) [ Time Frame: trial entry, end of study ]
- comparison of "responder rate" - placebo versus intervention [ Time Frame: trial entry, end of study ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults (both males and females, aged 18+) with steatohepatitis and fibrosis (Kleiner F1-F3), resulting from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Refusal or inability (lack of capacity) to give informed consent
- Average alcohol ingestion >21 units/week (males) or >14 units/week (females)
- History or presence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Haemoglobin A1C >15.0
- Other causes of chronic liver disease or hepatic steatosis
- Any contra-indication to liver biopsy
- History of, or planned, gastrointestinal bypass surgery
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Previous liver transplantation
- Recent significant weight loss (>5% total body weight within last 6 months)
- Electrolyte disturbance: potassium level outside the normal (local) range
- Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >10 x upper limit of normal (ULN) at screening
- Recent (within 6 months of baseline liver biopsy and screening visit) or concomitant use of agent known to cause hepatic steatosis (corticosteroids, amiodarone, methotrexate, tamoxifen, tetracycline, high dose oestrogens, valproic acid), or concomitant use of pioglitazone, fluconazole, rifampicin or any drug contra-indicated in the Losartan SmPC
- Introduction of metformin, glitazones, a GLP-1 agonist, Vitamin E or C, betaine, s-adenosyl methionine, ursodeoxycholic acid, silymarin, fibrate, pentoxifylline, orlistat, sibutramine or rimonabant within 3 months of baseline liver biopsy and screening visit
- Intolerance of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) or presence of multiple allergic reactions to drugs
- Use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or ARB in previous year
- Hypotension (systolic <100, diastolic <60)
- Renal failure (Cr >130)
- Participation in any clinical study of an investigational agent within 30 days or five half-lives of the investigational product, whichever is longer
- Presence of clinically relevant cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, metabolic, haematological, neurological, psychiatric, systemic, ocular, gynaecologic or any acute infectious disease or signs of acute illness that, in the opinion of the investigator, might compromise the patient's safe participation in the trial
- Presence or history of cancer within the past 5 years with exception of adequately treated localized basal cell carcinoma of the skin, in situ cervical carcinoma or solid malignancy surgically excised in toto without recurrence for five years
- Women of child-bearing potential not protected by effective contraceptive method of birth control or surgical sterilization and/or who are unwilling or unable to be tested for pregnancy (Pregnancy status will be checked by serum pregnancy testing before initiation of study treatment and by urine pregnancy testing during the trial)
- Known allergy or sensitivity to losartan or its excipients (microcrystalline cellulose [E460]; lactose monohydrate; pregelitanized maize starch; magnesium stearate [E572]; hydroxypropyl cellulose [E463]; hypromellose [E464])

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01051219
United Kingdom | |
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust | |
Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom, PL6 8DH | |
Queen Elizabeth Hospital | |
Birmingham, United Kingdom, B15 2TH | |
Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust | |
Cambridge, United Kingdom, CB2 0QQ | |
Royal Derby Hospital | |
Derby, United Kingdom | |
Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospital | |
Liverpool, United Kingdom | |
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust | |
London, United Kingdom, SE1 7EH | |
Imperial College (St Mary's Site) | |
London, United Kingdom, SW7 2AZ | |
St George's Hospital | |
London, United Kingdom | |
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | |
Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE7 7DN | |
Queens Medical Centre | |
Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG7 2UH |
Study Chair: | Christopher P Day, PhD | Newcastle University | |
Study Director: | Derek Mann, PhD | Newcastle University | |
Study Director: | Stephen F Stewart, PhD | Newcastle University | |
Study Director: | Elaine McColl, PhD | Newcastle University | |
Study Director: | Ian N Steen, PhD | Newcastle University |
Publications:
Responsible Party: | Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01051219 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
EME-08/43/15 ISRCTN ( Registry Identifier: 57849521 ) |
First Posted: | January 18, 2010 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | October 7, 2015 |
Last Verified: | October 2015 |
Losartan Liver fibrosis Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis |
Fatty Liver Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Liver Diseases Digestive System Diseases Losartan |
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents Antihypertensive Agents Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action |