SGLT2 medicines to lower liver fat in children and teens with fatty liver
Official title: Mechanisms of SGLT2 Inhibition in Pediatric NAFLD
Funded at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago · NIH-11249574 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will give SGLT2 diabetes medicines to children and teens with fatty liver disease to see if their liver fat and metabolism improve.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $670,246 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK136207-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249574 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with obesity and confirmed NAFLD who do not have type 2 diabetes and can attend visits at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without fatty liver, those with contraindications to SGLT2 drugs (for example severe kidney disease), or those unable to travel to the study site are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, you would take an SGLT2 pill similar to medicines used for diabetes while the team tracks your liver fat and metabolic health. The study will use liver imaging and metabolic tests before and after treatment to measure changes in hepatic fat, insulin sensitivity, and body weight. Investigators will also measure how the liver produces glucose and burns fat (including markers of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and endogenous glucose production) to understand how the drug works. The focus is on adolescents with obesity and NAFLD who do not yet have type 2 diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, SGLT2 medicines could meaningfully lower liver fat in children and teens and improve metabolic health related to NAFLD.
How similar studies have gone: Adult clinical trials and animal studies have shown SGLT2 inhibitors can reduce hepatic fat and improve metabolism, but this approach has not been tested in pediatric patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ryder, Justin R. — Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Ryder, Justin R.
Related research
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Long-term study of NAFLD progression and gut bacteria in diverse groups
We’re following people over time to see how the gut microbiome and diet relate to fatty liver disease progression in diverse racial/ethnic groups.
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This grant explores how a liver toxin called TCDD affects cholesterol and fatty liver disease, and how a key enzyme (HMGCR) might change that risk in adults.
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Small blood particle signals and fatty liver in children and teens
Researchers are looking at whether molecules carried in tiny blood particles can explain or signal fatty liver disease in children and adolescents with excess weight.
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.