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Taking people in United StatesPhase 2

Tests rosuvastatin in people with early liver cirrhosis

Compares rosuvastatin with a placebo in adults with compensated cirrhosis over 2 years.

Key facts

Who runs it
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Where
Ann Arbor, Cleveland, Durham, La Jolla, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Richmond, Rochester, and San Francisco, United StatesSee the 13 sites
Trial code
Registry title
Liver Cirrhosis Network Rosuvastatin Efficacy and Safety for Cirrhosis in the United States
Status
Recruiting
Phase
Phase 2
People taking part
260 people, planned
Started
7 Dec 2023
Expected to end
31 Aug 2029
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Rosuvastatin
Record updated
28 September 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults aged 18-75 with compensated cirrhosis caused by fatty liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease, or treated chronic hepatitis B or C. They get rosuvastatin or placebo.

Age
18 to 75 years
Sex
All sexes
Disease stage
Compensated cirrhosis (no ascites, hepatic encephalopathy or variceal bleeding in the last 48 weeks, Child-Pugh score below 8). Cause: NAFLD, ALD, or treated chronic viral hepatitis. Liver stiffness on VCTE of 15.0 kPa or more.
Earlier treatment
No statin use in the 24 weeks before consent. Hepatitis C must be cleared or hepatitis B treated.
Biomarker or test result
Liver stiffness (VCTE) of at least 15.0 kPa and no more than 50 kPa, measured twice.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Current statin use, or a known reason to take a statin
  • Liver cancer or bile duct cancer
  • Signs of liver decompensation in the last 48 weeks
  • Other causes of cirrhosis, such as autoimmune disease or Wilson's disease
  • Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or breastfeeding

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 36 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Age 18-75 years
  • Cirrhosis due to NAFLD, ALD, or chronic viral hepatitis (treated HBV or HCV)
  • Clinical diagnosis of cirrhosis as defined by investigator confirmation and the following:; At least one liver biopsy within 5 years prior to consent showing either: Metavir stage 4 fibrosis; Ishak Stage 5-6 fibrosis, OR b. At least 2 of the following: i. Evidence on imaging: Nodular liver with either splenomegaly or recanalized umbilical vein within the past 48 weeks ii. Liver stiffness: VCTE within 48 weeks prior to consent or during Screening ≥15.0 kPa or MRE within 48 weeks prior to consent or during Screening ≥5 kPa iii. Evidence of varices demonstrated on imaging or endoscopy within 3 years prior to consent or during Screening iv. Either: FIB-4>2.67 or platelets <150/mL within 6 months prior to consent or during Screening
  • Two measures of VCTE: one at screening and one at the open-label dispense study visit, meeting the following criteria:; The first measure must be ≥ 15.0 kPa; The two measures must be at least 2 hours apart and no more than 60 days apart from one another; The mean of two measurements must be ≥ 15.0 kPa; Additionally, both screening and open-label dispense liver stiffness measures must be ≤50 kPa
  • Compensated defined by:; Absence of ascites/hydrothorax, hepatic encephalopathy or variceal bleeding currently or in the last 48 weeks, as determined clinically by investigator; If prior history of decompensation, must be without current symptoms of decompensation and no longer requiring treatment of complications for the last 48 weeks, including the use of diuretics for the treatment of ascites, and/or rifaximin or lactulose for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. Use of non-selective beta blockers will be allowed; Child-Pugh score <8
  • Provision of written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria; <!-- -->
  • Currently on a statin or any statin exposure within 24 weeks prior to consent
  • Known indication for statin therapy, defined as:; Prior peripheral vascular, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular event for which statins are indicated for secondary prevention, OR; Documented familial hypercholesterolemia, heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, OR; Fasting LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dL
  • Myocardial infarction, Unstable angina, transient ischemic events, or stroke within 24 weeks of screening
  • Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) total score of ≥8 at screening
  • Patients with limitations in attending study visits
  • Prisoners
  • Known prior or current hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or cholangiocarcinoma
  • Known transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), balloon retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) or porto-systemic shunt surgery regardless of time of occurrence
  • Current (in past 24 weeks prior to consenting) use of medications known to cause hepatic fibrogenesis or confound endpoint assessment, defined as:; amiodarone; methotrexate; warfarin
  • Current (in past 24 weeks prior to consenting) use of medications which may increase risk for rosuvastatin-related myositis or DILI, defined as:; fenofibrate; erythromycin; gemfibrozil; niacin (500 mg or more); HIV protease inhibitors (darunivar, indinavir, nelfinavir, amprenavir); colchicine; cyclosporin; Additional medications that will be excluded:; atazanavir/ritonavir capmatinib darolutamide dasabuvir/ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir ledipasvir/sofosbuvir elbasvir/grazoprevir erythromycin lopinavir/ritonavir regorafenib ritonavir, in any combination simeprevir sofbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir sofosbuvir/velpatasvir tafamidis tamoxifen teriflunomide; *If exposure was for 7 or less days for one of these medications can consider enrollment after 28 days from final dose
  • Presence of portal or hepatic vein thrombosis
  • Diagnosis of untreated hypothyroidism or on unstable treatment regimen for hypothyroidism
  • Receiving an elemental diet or parenteral nutrition
  • Chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic insufficiency
  • Etiology of cirrhosis other than ALD, NAFLD, or viral hepatitis (excluded diagnoses include cryptogenic immune-mediated such as AIH, PSC and PBC, cardiac cirrhosis or Fontan-associated liver disease, A1AT, Wilson's disease, etc.)
  • Conditions which may confound study outcome:; Unstable or active inflammatory bowel disease b. Active infection c. Any malignant disease (other than squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin) within previous 3 years d. Prior solid organ or hematopoietic cell transplant e. Bariatric surgery in the last 24 weeks prior to consent or planned bariatric surgery within the next 96 weeks f. Current liver-unrelated end-stage organ failures such as end-stage renal disease on dialysis, stage 3-4 congestive heart failure (CHF), current chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on home oxygen
  • Known current medical or psychiatric conditions which, in the opinion of the investigator, would make the participant unsuitable for the study for safety reasons or interfere with or prevent adherence to the protocol
  • The following laboratory abnormalities within 90 days of screening:; Hemoglobin <10 g/dL b. Albumin <3.0 g/dL c. Prolonged international normalized ratio (INR) >1.5 d. Total bilirubin ≥ 2.0 mg/dl (unless due to Gilbert's syndrome or hemolysis as denoted by normal direct bilirubin fraction) e. Direct bilirubin ≥ 0.9 f. Uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c ≥ 9.5%) within past 90 days
  • Kidney function abnormalities including:; Dialysis; Baseline eGFR < 30 cc/min with CKD-Epi equation; Known nephrotic proteinuria, defined as 3g or greater of protein in 24-hour urine collection
  • Recent (within 48 weeks) or present hepatic decompensation with ascites/hydrothorax, hepatic encephalopathy or variceal bleeding
  • Untreated chronic hepatitis B or C infection; HCV eligible for enrollment if HCV RNA negative at baseline or documentation of prior SVR12; HBV eligible if an HBV DNA <100 IU/mL within the last 48 weeks and on treatment
  • Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥ 200 U/L within the past 24 weeks or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ≥ 300
  • Documented history of intolerance to statins
  • Serious comorbid medical disease which in the investigator's opinion renders a life-expectancy less than 96 weeks
  • Active illicit substance use (other than THC), including inhaled or injected drugs, in the 24 weeks prior to screening
  • Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Current participation in active medication treatment trials (within 24 weeks prior to randomization) or planned participation in active medication treatment trials simultaneous to participation in present trial
  • Significant existing muscle pain or tenderness or prior history of myasthenia gravis as determined by a site physician
  • Failure or inability to provide informed consent
  • East Asian Descent within one degree of relatedness (e.g., if the participant's parents are of East Asian descent)

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 18 and 75 years old?

Where in United States

  • University of MichiganAnn Arbor, United StatesContact: Elliot TapperTaking people
  • Cleveland ClinicCleveland, United StatesContact: Srinivasan DasarathyTaking people
  • Duke Liver CenterDurham, United StatesContact: Cynthia Ann Moylan, MD, MHS, MSTaking people
  • University of California San Diego NAFLD Research CenterLa Jolla, United StatesContact: Rohit LoombaTaking people
  • Keck Medical Center of USCLos Angeles, United StatesContact: Norah TerraultTaking people
  • LAC & USC Medical CenterLos Angeles, United StatesContact: Norah TerraultTaking people
  • University of Miami Health SystemMiami, United StatesContact: David GoldbergTaking people
  • Columbia University Iriving School of MedicineNew York, United StatesContact: Elizabeth VernaTaking people
  • New York Presbyterian/Weill CornellNew York, United StatesContact: Robert BrownTaking people
  • Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, United StatesContact: Arun SanyalTaking people
  • Mayo ClinicRochester, United StatesContact: Doug A. Simonetto, MDTaking people
  • UCSF - Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma CenterSan Francisco, United StatesContact: Mandana KhaliliTaking people
  • UCSF Medical CenterSan Francisco, United StatesContact: Bilal HameedTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

This is a double-blind, phase 2 study to evaluate safety and efficacy of rosuvastatin in comparison to placebo after 2 years in patients with compensated cirrhosis.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • ActiveTreatment being tested

    Open-label lead-in period of 4 weeks on 20 mg rosuvastatin by mouth once daily, followed by a period of 96 weeks rosuvastatin 20 mg daily.

    Treatment: Rosuvastatin

  • PlaceboPlacebo, for comparison

    Open-label lead-in period of 4 weeks on 20 mg rosuvastatin by mouth once daily, followed by a period of 96 weeks placebo.

    Treatment: Rosuvastatin

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Liver Cirrhosis Network (LCN) Rosuvastatin Efficacy and Safety for Cirrhosis in the United States (RESCU): A Double-Blind Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Study
Plain-language title
Tests rosuvastatin in people with early liver cirrhosisGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Fit questions
Built from NCT05832229, who can take part
Record updated
28 September 2026