Clinical trial Recruiting at 39 sites Phase 3 Interventional Ages 18 to 75

CS0159 for primary biliary cholangitis when UDCA doesn't work or isn't tolerated.

Official title: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled, Phase III Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of CS0159 in Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) With Inadequate Response or Intolerance to Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA)

Run by Cascade Pharmaceuticals, Inc · NCT07282353 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This test tries to see if taking CS0159 once daily helps adults with primary biliary cholangitis who have an inadequate response to or cannot tolerate UDCA.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 3
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
Enrollment135 (estimated)
SponsorCascade Pharmaceuticals, Inc
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsimmunotherapy, methotrexate
Locations42 sites (Hefei, Anhui and 41 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedDecember 1, 2025
Main results expectedDecember 9, 2027
Study endsJanuary 6, 2028
Registry record updatedJuly 8, 2026
Trial IDNCT07282353 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults aged 18–75 with a confirmed diagnosis of PBC who have an inadequate biochemical response to UDCA (for example ALP ≥1.67×ULN) or who cannot tolerate UDCA, and who meet the study's laboratory safety thresholds, are ideal candidates.

Probably not a fit

Patients who already respond well to UDCA, those with advanced or decompensated liver disease beyond the study's laboratory limits, or with other exclusionary conditions are unlikely to benefit from this trial.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial enrolling about 135 participants randomized 2:1 to CS0159 (4 mg once daily) or placebo for up to 52 weeks. Participants who can stay on UDCA will continue their pre-study dose, while those intolerant to UDCA may enroll without recent UDCA use. Efficacy and safety will be monitored through regular clinic visits, laboratory liver tests, and adverse event reporting. The trial focuses on patients with elevated alkaline phosphatase and other predefined laboratory entry criteria to determine biochemical and clinical effects of CS0159.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, CS0159 could offer an additional treatment option that lowers disease-related liver enzymes and helps delay progression in PBC patients who do not benefit from UDCA.

How similar studies have gone: Other approved or investigational PBC therapies that lower alkaline phosphatase (for example obeticholic acid and fibrates) have shown biochemical benefit in PBC, but CS0159 itself is a new agent being tested in phase 3.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Must have given written informed consent (signed and dated) and any authorizations required by local law;
2. When signing ICF age ≥18 years ≤75 years, male or female;
3. Meets the diagnostic criteria of PBC, based on any two of the following criteria:

   1. History of ALP above 1.0× ULN for at least 6 months
   2. Positive antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) titer (\>1:40 on immunofluorescence or M2 positive by ELISA) or positive PBC- specific antinuclear antibody (ANA) (either SP100 or GP210 positive)
   3. Documented liver biopsy results consistent with PBC;
4. UDCA≥6 months before randomization and a stable dose ≥3 months after the efficacy was poor \[meeting inclusion criteria (5)a\], or UDCA was not tolerated, and stop taking UDCA (no UDCA use for ≥3 months before randomization);
5. Laboratory parameters measured at screening period meet the following criteria:

   1. ALP ≥1.67× ULN
   2. ALT≤5× ULN
   3. AST ≤5× ULN
   4. TB \<2× ULN
   5. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \> 60mL/min/1.73m2 (calculated by CKD-EPI equation)
   6. Platelet count ≥ 1.0× LLN (No thrombocytopenia-related treatment within the past two weeks)
   7. Albumin\> 35g/L
   8. White blood cells count (WBC) \>3×109/L
   9. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>1.5×109/L
   10. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≤9.0%;
6. INR ≤ 1.0× ULN. For participants on anticoagulation therapy, INR must be maintained in the range required for prophylaxis for their specific disease;
7. Females of reproductive potential must use at least 1 barrier contraceptive and a second effective birth control method during the study and for at least 90 days after the last dose. Male participants who are sexually active with female partners of reproductive potential must use barrier contraception, and their female partners must use a second effective birth control method during the study and for at least 90 days after the last dose.

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Exclusion Criteria:

1. Previous exposure to CS0159;
2. History of allergy to the CS0159 or its excipients or drugs of similar chemical classes;
3. Advanced PBC as defined by the Rotterdam criteria (albumin\<1.0×LLN AND TB \>1.0× ULN);
4. Patients who have had clinically significant complications of hepatic cirrhosis with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH), including the following:

   1. History of liver transplantation, current placement on a liver transplant list, current MELD -Na score ≥ 12;
   2. History of confirmed esophagogastric variceal bleeding;
   3. Clinically significant ascites requiring intervention, such as sodium restriction, diuretic therapy, or therapeutic paracentesis;
   4. Any secondary complications resulting from clinically significant ascites, such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, or hepatic hydrothorax;
   5. Hepatic encephalopathy requiring drug therapy;
   6. Portopulmonary hypertension and/or hepatopulmonary syndrome;
   7. Hepatocellular carcinoma;
5. Other concomitant liver disease including:

   1. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) (simplified AIH diagnostic score \>6), PBC-AIH overlap syndrome, or overlap with other autoimmune liver diseases
   2. Positive HBsAg or positive HCV RNA (tested for in case of known cured HCV infection or positive HCV Ab at screening)
   3. Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
   4. History or clinical evidence of Alcoholic liver disease (ALD)
   5. Biopsy confirmed Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
   6. Gilbert's Syndrome
   7. History or evidence of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
   8. Liver stiffness measured by transient elastography (TE) \> 16.9 Kpa;
6. Patient has a positive test for HIV at screening, or active syphilis \[defined as positive Treponema pallidum antibody (TP Ab) and a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) card test titer ≥1:8; for low titers (e.g., 1:1 or 1:2), clinical judgment is required to determine if it is active syphilis\];
7. Administration of the following medications are prohibited as specified below:

   1. Use of medications, food, and drinks (e.g., grapefruit juice) that are strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers within 14 days before randomization;
   2. Use of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate drugs within 14 days before randomization;
   3. 2 months prior to randomization: fibrates, glitazones, seladelpar and elafibranor.
   4. 3 months prior to randomization: obeticholic acid (OCA), azathioprine, colchicine, cyclosporine, methotrexate, mycophenolate, pentoxifylline, systemic corticosteroids and budesonide (˃2 weeks); potentially hepatotoxic drugs (including α-methyl-dopa, sodium valproic acid isoniazid, or nitrofurantoin).
   5. Patients with systemic treatment for pruritus (e.g., with bile acid sequestrants \[BAS\]) within 3 months prior to randomization.
   6. 12 months prior to randomization: antibodies or immunotherapy directed against ILs or other cytokines or chemokines;
8. Medical conditions that may cause non-hepatic increases in ALP (e.g., paget's disease);
9. Patients with severe arrhythmia, or a QTcF interval corrected by Fridericia's formula ≥450 ms (males) or ≥470 ms (females) at screening \[Fridericia's formula: QTcF=QT/(RR\^0.33)\];
10. History or presence of any disease or condition known to interfere with the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of drugs including bile salt metabolism in the large intestine, eg, inflammatory bowel disease, prior or planned (during the study period) bariatric surgery (such as gastroplasty, roux-en-Y gastric bypass);
11. History of malignancy (except for those with a disease-free survival of ≥5 years) or currently under evaluation for malignancy. Except for cases with long-term stable disease and assessed by the investigator as having no significant impact on the trial-such as cured squamous or non-invasive basal cell skin carcinoma, cervical carcinoma in situ, mild to moderate cervical dysplasia, or incidental prostate cancer stage T1a.
12. Drug abuse or heavy alcohol use from 12 months prior to randomization throughout the entire clinical study period. Heavy alcohol use is defined as an average weekly alcohol consumption of more than approximately 7 standard drinks for females and more than approximately 14 standard drinks for males. One standard drink is defined as any beverage containing 14g of pure alcohol, such as 12 oz/360 mL of beer (5% alcohol), 8 oz/240 mL of malt liquor (7% alcohol), 5 oz/150 mL of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 oz/45 mL of distilled spirits (40% alcohol);
13. Poor blood pressure control is indicated after treatment by a systolic pressure greater than 160 mmHg or diastolic pressure greater than 100 mmHg during screening;
14. Pregnancy, planned pregnancy, lactation;
15. Treatment with any other investigational therapy or device within 30 days or within 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, prior to screening;
16. Mental instability or incompetence that may compromise the validity of informed consent or ability to adhere to study requirements;
17. Any other condition(s) that would compromise the safety of the patient or compromise the quality of the clinical study, as judged by the investigator.

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Where it's running

  • The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC Anhui Provincial Hospital
    Hefei, Anhui, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University
    Hefei, Anhui, China
    Recruiting
  • The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University
    Hefei, Anhui, China
    Recruiting
  • Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University
    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University
    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • China-Japan Friendship Hospital
    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
Show 36 more locations
  • Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital
    Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
    Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital Of Fujian Medical University
    Fuzhou, Fujian, China
    Recruiting
  • Xiamen Hospital of T.C,M.
    Xiamen, Fujian, China
    Recruiting
  • Peking University Shenzhen Hospital
    Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
    Recruiting
  • Shenzhen Third People's Hospital
    Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
    Recruiting
  • Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
    Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University
    Nanning, Guangxi, China
    Recruiting
  • The Fourth Hospital Of Harbin Medical University
    Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
    Recruiting
  • Henan Provincial People's Hospital
    Zhengzhou, Henan, China
    Recruiting
  • Taihe Hospital of Shiyan
    Shiyan, Hubei, China
    Recruiting
  • Xiangya Hospital Central South University
    Changsha, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • Jiangsu Province Hospital
    Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting
  • The Second Hospital of Nanjing
    Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting
  • The Fifth People's Hospital of Suzhou
    Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting
  • The Fifth People's Hospital Of Wuxi
    Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting
  • The Third People's Hospital of Zhenjiang
    Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
    Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University
    Changchun, Jilin, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Hospital of China Medical University
    Shenyang, Liaoning, China
    Recruiting
  • Baoji People's Hospital
    Baoji, Shaanxi, China
    Recruiting
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
    Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
    Recruiting
  • Linyi People's Hospital
    Linyi, Shandong, China
    Recruiting
  • The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University
    Qingdao, Shandong, China
    Recruiting
  • Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Ruijin Hospital
    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated To Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • West China Hospital, Sichuan University
    Chengdu, Sichuan, China
    Recruiting
  • Tianjin First Central Hospital
    Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Tianjin Medical University General Hospital
    Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Tianjin Third Central Hospital
    Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China
    Recruiting
  • Hangzhou Xixi Hospital
    Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
    Recruiting
  • Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province
    Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
    Recruiting
  • Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University
    Wuhan, Hubei, China
    Not yet recruiting
  • The Fourth People's Hospital of Qinghai Province
    Xining, Qinghai, China
    Not yet recruiting
  • Ningbo Medical Center Li Huili hospital
    Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
    Not yet recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Ma Xiong, MD — Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
  • Study coordinator: Ma Xiong, MD
  • Email: maxiongmd@163.com
  • Phone: 15900984550

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Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

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  • Austrian PBC Registry

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  • Biochemical response and health outcomes in people with primary biliary cholangitis

    We will follow adults with primary biliary cholangitis who are taking ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) to see if their alkaline phosphatase levels after treatment predict how long they stay free of complications.

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.