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NCT Number: NCT06825572

MSC-EVs in Acute/ Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure After Liver Transplantation

Acute liver failure (ALF) refers to a potentially reversible disorder that was the result of severe liver injury, with an onset of encephalopathy within 8 weeks of symptom appearance and in the absence of pre-existing liver disease. Acute-on-chronic liver failure refers to a liver failure syndrome in which some patients with chronic liver disease with relatively stable liver function suffer from acute liver decompensation and liver failure due to the effects of various acute injury factors. Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment for this type of end-stage liver disease. The potential of MSCs to repair or regenerate damaged tissue and suppress immune responses makes them promising in the treatment of liver diseases, especially in the field of liver transplantation. Many studies have shown that MSC-based therapies can reduce the symptoms of liver disease due to their paracrine effects. Therefore, compared to the cells they derive from, mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EV) are gradually gaining attention for their enhanced safety, as they do not replicate or cause microvascular embolism, and can be easily stored without losing their properties. It represents a novel and effective cell-free therapeutic agent as alternative to cell-based therapies for liver diseases, and liver failure was also concerned. This study was designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of MSC-EV in acute-on-chronic liver failure after liver transplantation.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University

Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China

Location contact

Yang Yang, PHD, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

020-85252113

Yang Yang, PHD, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

About this study

In the MSC-EV group (experimental group), 15 patients will receive a single injection of MSC-EV after their first liver transplantation. In the non-MSC-EV group (control group), 15 patients will not receive MSC-EV therapy after their first liver transplantation.

The outcome of the experimental group will be compared with that of similar control patients undergoing liver transplantation but who will not receive MSC-EV. Both of the two groups will receive standard immunosuppressive therapy( a regimen based on tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetyl (MMF) and steroids). Patients participated in the experimental cohort will be infused with a single dose of 10 E10 MSC-EV particles per 100ml, at an appropriate time during the first 1-5 days after transplantation.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • aged 18-70 years;
  • Acute on chronic liver failure-which is characterized by acute hepatic insult manifesting as jaundice (serum total bilirubin [TBil] ≥ 10×ULN umol/L) and coagulopathy (international normalized ratio [INR] ≥ 1.5 or prothrombin activity < 40%), complicated within 4 weeks by ascites and/or encephalopathy as determined by physical examination, in patients with previously diagnosed or undiagnosed chronic liver disease; Requiring liver transplantation due to acute on chronic liver failure;
  • Obtain the patients' consent after informing patients of the purpose and method of the clinical trial;

Exclusion criteria

  • Past history of malignant disease
  • Active uncontrolled infection;
  • Combined transplantation
  • EBV-negative;
  • HIV or HCV positive;
  • Retransplantation;

Treatment and study plan

MSC-EVs

Biological

10 E10 MSC-EV particles per 100ml for a single dose. No prior HLA matching between MSC donors and recipients or liver donors

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of participants with MSC-EV infusion-related toxicity as assessed by CTCAE v4.0.

    Time frame: 24 hours after injection

    Incidence, timing and severity of any clinical complication related to MSC-EV infusion, such as tympanic body temperature, heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure and allergy, as assessed by CTCAE v4.0 .

  2. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    Collect clinical results reflecting liver function

  3. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    Collect clinical results reflecting liver function

  4. Bilirubin level

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    Collect clinical results reflecting liver function

  5. International normalized ratio (INR)

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    Collect clinical results reflecting liver function

  6. carbohydrate Compound antigen (GGT) level

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    Collect clinical results reflecting liver function

  7. Adverse events

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    Any adverse events which may related to MSC-EV infusion

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of survived patients at 1 year after liver transplantation, according to the follow-up results.

    Time frame: 12 months

    Patients who are surviving, as assessed by outpatient or telephone follow-up, at 1 year after liver transplantation

  2. Number of survived grafts at 1 year after liver transplantation, according to the follow-up results.

    Time frame: 12 months

    Surviving patients with primary and functional grafts, as assessed by outpatient or telephone follow-up, at 1 year after liver transplantation.

  3. Recipient's immune function, as assessed by analysis of immune cell subsets from biopsy or blood samples ,at months 1-6 after liver transplantation.

    Time frame: 6 months after transplantation

    A series of immune cell subsets will be analyzed, including T cells (CD3+), CD4+ T cells (CD3+ CD4+ lymphocytes), CD8+ T cells (CD3+ CD8+ lymphocytes), naïve CD4+ T cells (CD4+ CD45RAhigh lymphocytes), memory CD4+ T cells (CD4+ CD45RO+ lymphocytes), natural killer (NK) cells (CD3- CD56+ lymphocytes), as well as B cells (CD19+ lymphocytes)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jun Zheng, PHD, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

020-85252113

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Extracellular Vesicles (MSC-EV) in Acute/Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure After Liver Transplantationa:a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Feb 13, 2025
Registry last updated
Feb 13, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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