Investigating the safety of a green tea compound in patients with lung fibrosis
Official title: Phase 1 study of oral epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in IPF patients
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11081695 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how safe and effective a green tea compound called EGCG is for people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) while they are on their usual treatments, to see if it can help improve their lung health over 12 weeks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | August 31, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,586,887 |
| NIH project number | 5R33HL158540-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11081695 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who are currently receiving FDA-approved treatments for the condition.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other forms of lung disease or those not currently undergoing treatment for IPF may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on the safety and optimal dosing of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study will involve administering EGCG to patients while they are also receiving standard FDA-approved therapies for IPF. Researchers will monitor the safety of EGCG and its effects on specific biomarkers related to lung fibrosis over a 12-week period. The goal is to gather critical data that could lead to further studies assessing the effectiveness of EGCG in treating IPF.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new therapeutic option for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, potentially improving their lung function and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promising results with EGCG in other contexts, but this specific approach in IPF patients is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martinez, Fernando J — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Martinez, Fernando J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.