Oral fecal transplant for alcohol-related cirrhosis
Fecal microbiota transplant for Alcohol-Associated Cirrhosis
This trial gives capsules of healthy donor gut bacteria to people with alcohol use disorder and cirrhosis to try to reduce drinking, cravings, and improve thinking and liver and overall health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145716 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be randomly assigned to receive either capsules of freeze-dried donor fecal microbiota or matching placebo at the start and again at day 30, and neither you nor the study team will know which you get. The capsules are made under Good Manufacturing Practices and the team has tested similar FMT products before. Researchers will follow your alcohol use, cravings, cognition, psychosocial quality of life, and liver-related measures over time. This is a Phase 1b/2a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial run at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with alcohol use disorder who also have cirrhosis and who can attend treatment and follow-up visits at the study site are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People without alcohol use disorder or without cirrhosis, or those unable to travel to the study center, are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, reshaping gut bacteria could lower drinking and cravings, improve thinking and quality of life, and reduce liver-related harms in people with alcohol-associated cirrhosis.
How similar studies have performed: Previous randomized trials by this group showed that FMT reduced alcohol consumption and cravings and improved cognition and quality of life in cirrhotic patients, though larger confirmatory trials are needed.
Where this research is happening
Richmond, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bajaj, Jasmohan S — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Bajaj, Jasmohan S
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 below.