New study probes why diabetes patients develop fatty liver

NCT ID NCT07246421

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Aarhus Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how the hormone glucagon works in people with type 2 diabetes, with or without fatty liver disease. Researchers will give participants low and high doses of glucagon and use scans and blood tests to measure how the liver and heart respond. The goal is to understand if glucagon resistance contributes to liver fat buildup and heart problems.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Glucagon infusion
What this could lead to: If successful, this study could reveal why some people with type 2 diabetes develop fatty liver and heart problems, pointing toward new treatment targets.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage observational study with only 24 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It is designed to gather knowledge, not to test a new treatment.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 24 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jan 2026

Expected to finish

Jul 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

30 to 70 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * BMI \> 26 kg/m² * confirmed diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) min. 6 months prior enrollment * steatosis FF% \> 5,6% on MR spectroscopy for MAFLD group Exclusion Criteria: * Alcohol abuse (\>10 units per week for both sexes) or other substance abuse * Smoking * Current or previous malignant disease * Blood donation within the last 3 months prior to the study day * Participation in studies involving radioactive isotopes within the past 3 months * Pregnancy * Severely dysregulated type 2 diabetes mellitus (haemoglobin A1c ≥ 100 mmol/mol) * C-peptide \< 200 pmol/L * Previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI) * Clinical symptoms of heart failure * Current or previous malignant disease * Known ongoing systemic disease, except for dyslipidaemia and hypertension * Regular use of medication that may affect lipid and glucose metabolism, including insulin treatment, regular use of over-the-counter medications, and hormonal contraception. Exceptions: 1. Participants treated with statins may be included following a 2-week washout period prior to the experimental study day. 2. Participants receiving oral glucose-lowering therapy for T2DM and antihypertensive medication may be included provided that medication is withheld on the study day only. 3. Participants receiving weekly injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 analogues) may be included following a 1-week washout period prior to the study day.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease type 2 diabetes mellitus

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease Type 2 diabetes (T2DM)

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

New study probes why diabetes patients develop fatty liver

What the study statuses mean