A study testing whether a GLP-1 medicine, semaglutide, can help people reduce liver fat.
Recruiting now. Registry record last updated August 10, 2026.
- Who can join
- Adults 18+, have fatty liver disease (also called MASH or NASH), BMI 25+.
- What you take
- Semaglutide, given as part of the study. Check ClinicalTrials.gov for this trial's study groups, including any placebo or comparison medicine.
- How long it lasts
- The full study runs about 8 years.
- What you get
- Costs vary by study. Ask the study team what this one covers, including the study medicine, visits and travel, before you sign the consent form.
What this study is for
Primary condition: Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Also studied in: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
Full scientific study title: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, the HEpatic Response to Oral Glucose, and the Effect of Semaglutide (NAFLD HEROES).
Who can join
Adults 18+, have fatty liver disease (also called MASH or NASH), BMI 25+. A site coordinator confirms whether you qualify during a free screening visit. The exact medical requirements are below.
Full medical eligibility (for you and your doctor)verbatim from the registry
This is the exact wording from ClinicalTrials.gov, including clinical measures (lab values, imaging scores). Bring it to your doctor if any of it is unclear.
Key inclusion criteria
- Male or female Aged \>= 18 years of age.
- Histological evidence of hepatic steatosis on a liver biopsy within 12 months OR evidence of fatty liver disease, as documented by imaging (ultrasound, CT, MRI, MRI-PDFF, MR spectroscopy, or Fibroscan CAP \>= 285 db/M25) within 12 months.
- Estimated average alcohol consumption \< 30 g/d for men or \< 20 g/d for women in the 6 months prior to enrollment and no binge-drinking behavior.
- Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
- Presence of NAFLD (steatosis grade greater than or equal to 1 on NASH-CRN scoring scale) on baseline admission liver biopsy.
Key exclusion criteria
- Pregnant or breast-feeding
- Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV). Patients who were treated successfully for HCV and achieved sustained virological response can be eligible for enrollment \> 18 months after treatment cessation. Patients receiving antiviral therapy are ineligible.
- HIV infection.
- Concomitant liver disease such as autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, Wilson s disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hereditary hemochromatosis.
- Presence of definite or probable drug-induced liver injury. In the case of lipid-lowering, anti-hypertensive or anti-diabetic medications that are suspected to cause aminotransferase elevation, patients will be eligible if treatment is associated with stable enzyme levels for at least 6 months.
Where this trial is enrolling
This trial has 1 sites across 1 state. Contact a site coordinator directly to start screening.
Maryland1 site
- National Institutes of Health Clinical CenterBethesda, MarylandFor more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR)800-411-1222prpl@cc.nih.gov
Timeline
Started enrolling: July 24, 2019. Expected completion: December 31, 2027. Last updated on ClinicalTrials.gov: August 10, 2026.
Official source
Every Monday we check this trial against ClinicalTrials.gov, the federal registry for clinical research. Last checked September 4, 2026. Confirm the current status there before you contact a site:
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