CHARLOTTE, NC

Fatty Liver Disease Clinical Trials

5 paid fatty liver studies are enrolling near Charlotte NC. Notably, two of them need no liver biopsy at all. Free scans and no insurance needed. Compensation is provided for eligible participants.

Enrolling Now

With No Biopsy

+/- $100

Per Visit

New here? Read how this page works

First, these five are not interchangeable, and one question sorts them faster than any other. So here is how to find yours.

Decide how you feel about a biopsy. Because that single answer splits this page in two, and several studies need no needle in your liver at all.
Find out whether you have cirrhosis. Notably, some studies take only people who do, and others rule them out entirely.
Do not start a crash diet first. In fact, losing more than 11 pounds in 3 months rules you out of the biggest study here.
Finally, tap Check eligibility. Then we check you against all of them at once and tell you when a new one opens.

Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.

The 5 Fatty Liver Studies Enrolling Near Charlotte

We sort these by the thing people actually care about, which is whether a liver biopsy is required.

If you would rather avoid a biopsy

This is the split that decides most people. Notably, neither of these needs a needle in your liver, though on the second one you must ask for cohort 2.

The Biggest One, and It Needs No Biopsy

Eli Lilly / Drug

Two weekly injections that drive weight loss are tested against a dummy. You get in on scans and blood tests alone, because no liver biopsy is needed at any point.

Late stage, 4,500 people No biopsy at all

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: it asks the question people actually care about. Over about four years, does the drug stop high risk fatty liver turning into liver failure, liver cancer or a transplant?

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 and older with a BMI of 25 or more
Also, liver fat of 8 percent or more on a scan
Besides that, A blood score between 9 and 10.8
Finally, liver stiffness between 10 and 20 on a FibroScan

Probably not a fit if: you lost more than 11 pounds in the 3 months before screening. So people who start dieting hard after a diagnosis often rule themselves out without knowing it.

Placebo group: Some people get a dummy, and the ratio is not published. However, once the main study ends everybody who qualifies can join a 2 year extension where all get real drug.
How long: About 4 years and 4 months, plus an optional 2 year extension.
Clinic visits: About 25 to 30 across the whole study, and the sponsor states that outright. So that works out at roughly one visit every 7 to 9 weeks.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: No liver biopsy at all. Weekly shots under the skin, plus blood draws, FibroScan and liver imaging.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Monroe Biomedical Research, Monroe NC 28112.
Drive from Charlotte: Monroe is about 25 miles southeast, so roughly 35 minutes on US-74.
Read this first: losing more than 11 pounds in the 3 months before screening rules you out. So if you are thinking of joining, talk to the clinic before you start a crash diet.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

For Cirrhosis, Where Nothing Is Approved Yet

Akero Therapeutics / Drug

A weekly shot of a longer lasting version of a natural hormone that helps the body handle fat and sugar. This one is for people whose scarring has reached cirrhosis but whose liver is still coping.

Late stage, 2,150 people Ask for cohort 2

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: no drug is approved anywhere in the world for cirrhosis caused by fatty liver. So this group has nothing today.

Who this study is looking for

Adults 18 to 80
Also, cirrhosis caused by fatty liver, with the liver still doing its job
Besides that, cohort 1 needs a biopsy to prove it
Finally, cohort 2 accepts scans and blood tests instead, with no biopsy

Probably not a fit if: you have ever had fluid in the belly, bleeding from swollen veins, or confusion caused by the liver. Notably, a single past event rules you out.

Placebo group: Yes, and the ratio is not published. However, your usual care carries on the whole time.
How long: Up to 5 years, with a check at week 96.
Clinic visits: Not published on the public record. Dosing is weekly at home, so clinic visits sit between those.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Cohort 1 needs one biopsy to enter and cohort 2 needs none. Weekly shots, blood draws, FibroScan and scans to watch for liver cancer.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Akero Clinical Study Sites, Charlotte NC 28204 and 28207, and Statesville NC 28625.
Ask this on the first call: which cohort are you being screened for? Because cohort 2 needs no biopsy at all, and that is the single most useful question here.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

These do need a biopsy

All three need at least one liver biopsy. However, two of them are the only studies testing whether existing scarring can actually shrink.

Catching It Before Cirrhosis

Akero Therapeutics / Drug

The same weekly shot, but for people with moderate to advanced scarring who have not reached cirrhosis. The question is whether it can shrink scar tissue that is already there.

Late stage, 1,650 people Two biopsies

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: before cirrhosis is the last point at which the damage may still be reversible. So this is the stage where a drug could change the whole story.

Who this study is looking for

Age 18 to 80
Also, A liver biopsy in the past 180 days showing scar stage 2 or 3
Besides that, at least two of extra weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or high blood sugar
Finally, or type 2 diabetes

Probably not a fit if: the biopsy shows cirrhosis, which puts you out of this one. However, you may fit the cirrhosis study instead.

Placebo group: You are split three ways, into two real doses or a dummy. So the odds are 2 in 3 for real drug. Also, nobody stops their usual medicines.
How long: About 4 and a half years in total.
Clinic visits: Not published as a total. The named points are the start, week 52, week 96 and week 240. Notably, the weekly shots are done at home.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Two liver biopsies, one to get in and one at week 52 or 96. Weekly shots, blood draws, FibroScan and scans.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: Akero Clinical Study Sites, Charlotte NC 28204 and Statesville NC 28625.
Drive from Charlotte: Statesville is about 40 miles north, so roughly 45 minutes on I-77.
Read this first: this study needs two biopsies. So if that is your sticking point, look at the no biopsy studies on this page instead.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

The Rival Shot, Before Cirrhosis

89bio / Drug

Another weekly shot working through the same natural hormone pathway as the Akero one. This is the direct rival, and it is for scarring at stage 2 or 3.

Late stage, 1,350 people Two biopsies

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: two rival drugs in the same class are being tested at once, which almost never happens. So the field will learn a great deal either way.

Who this study is looking for

Age 18 to 80
Also, A biopsy confirming fatty liver disease with scarring at stage 2 or 3
Besides that, BMI of 25 or above
Finally, liver enzymes below 250

Probably not a fit if: vitamin E above 400 a day or pioglitazone is allowed only if you have been steady on it for 6 months. So starting or changing either recently will disqualify you, and this catches real people.

Placebo group: Two dose groups against a dummy, and the ratio is not published. Your usual care continues.
How long: The main result is at week 52, then safety follow up runs up to 5 years.
Clinic visits: Not published on the public record. The named points are the start, week 52 and up to 5 years.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: Two liver biopsies, one to get in and one at week 52. Shots under the skin, blood draws, FibroScan and scans.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: 89bio Clinical Study Site, Charlotte NC 28207.
Read this first: you can be screened, biopsied, and then told you do not qualify because the biopsy showed cirrhosis. So ask what happens next if that occurs.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

The Rival Shot, for Cirrhosis

89bio / Drug

The same weekly shot, but in people who already have cirrhosis from fatty liver and whose liver is still coping. It follows people for years.

Late stage, 762 people One biopsy

Est. about $100 per visit. Ask the site for the total number of visits.

Check eligibility →

More details

Why researchers are excited: it watches for the serious events cirrhosis leads to, rather than just measuring a number on a scan.

Who this study is looking for

Age 18 to 75
Also, A biopsy confirming cirrhosis from fatty liver, with the liver still coping
Besides that, either type 2 diabetes for at least 3 months, or two risk factors
Finally, BMI between 25 and 50

Probably not a fit if: any history of fluid in the belly, bleeding from swollen veins, or liver confusion. Also, any history of liver cancer rules you out.

Placebo group: Yes, and the ratio is not published. Your usual care continues throughout.
How long: Long. The measures run from month 24 out to month 60, and the record lists completion in 2031.
Clinic visits: Not published on the public record. Only broad windows of 24 and 60 months are registered.
Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
Most invasive part: One biopsy to get in. Shots under the skin, blood draws, FibroScan, scans and liver cancer checks.
Setting: Outpatient.
Where it runs: 89bio Clinical Study Site, Charlotte NC 28207.
Worth knowing: this is the longest commitment on the page. Also, the same vitamin E steady dose rule applies here.
Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Not sure which one fits you?

First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we check you against all 5 studies. No account, no paperwork.

See if I may fit one of these studies →

✓ Takes just a few minutes✓ No cost, no obligation✓ You are never enrolled by checking

Why Liver Research Matters Here in Charlotte

The disease found by accident

Almost nobody feels this coming. There is no pain and no obvious sign for years. So it usually turns up on a routine blood test, or on a scan done for something else entirely. Meanwhile, by the time it has a name there may already be scarring. Also, it is now the fastest growing reason people need a liver transplant in this country.

What is actually being studied here

Gastonia, Rock Hill, Monroe, Concord, Statesville. Fatty liver disease follows weight, diabetes and blood pressure, so it turns up across all of them. However, Charlotte is well covered here, with five studies inside about 45 minutes. In fact, two of them let you join on scans and blood tests alone.

So why do people here fall behind?

It is silent for years. There is no pain and no early sign. So it is usually found by accident on a test done for something else.
The biopsy puts people off. Many assume every study needs one. However, several here do not, and that fact alone changes minds.
It gets blamed on weight and left there. People are told to lose weight and sent home. Meanwhile, there are now approved drugs and several studies.
Crash dieting can lock you out. Losing more than 11 pounds in 3 months rules you out of the biggest study. So talk to the clinic first.
Liver care and diabetes care sit apart. The same metabolic problem drives both. Notably, the two are often managed by doctors who never speak.

Research is a care option, not a last resort

There is a saying in medicine that research is a care option rather than a last resort. Generally, that is the honest way to think about a study. You are not giving up your own doctor. Instead, you are adding a second set of eyes. Notably, in two of these five you can join without any liver biopsy at all.

What being on the list actually gets you

This is a directory, not a clinic. So being on the list is simple and it costs nothing.

What you actually get

A call from us the day a new study opens near you
The clinic name and number, so you call them yourself
A check against every other study on our list, not just this one
No cost, and no insurance needed
Roughly $100 a visit for your time, once you are in a study
You are never enrolled by checking

So add it up. Five studies within about 45 minutes, and two of them need no biopsy at all. Meanwhile, this field went from having nothing to prescribe to having two approved drugs in under two years. So the question is not whether research is worth a look. Instead, it is whether another silent year is.

What Is Actually Changing in Fatty Liver Disease

Three approved drugs in three years, after decades of nothing.

The Name Changed, and So Did the Field

Fat builds up in the liver. When that fat causes inflammation and then scarring, the disease has a name that used to be NASH and is now called MASH. The change was not cosmetic, because the new name puts the metabolic cause at the centre. Also, it is now the fastest growing reason for a liver transplant in this country.

The First Drug Arrived in 2024

For decades there was nothing to prescribe. Doctors advised weight loss and watched. Then resmetirom became the first drug ever approved specifically for this disease with moderate to advanced scarring. As Naim Alkhouri of Arizona Liver Health put it, that was a historic approval and having it in clinic has been a game changer.

Then the Weight Loss Drugs Arrived Too

In August 2025 semaglutide was approved for this disease without cirrhosis. So within about 18 months the field went from zero options to two very different ones. Arun Sanyal of Virginia Commonwealth University said the decision reflects continued progress in how we understand and treat these patients.

Cirrhosis Is Still the Unsolved Part

Once scarring tips into cirrhosis, nothing at all is approved anywhere in the world. That is why several studies here enrol only that group. Alkhouri put the ambition plainly, saying that slowing the slide is highly desirable but the goal is treatments that could actually reverse it.

Why It Gets Missed

Most people have no symptoms at all until a great deal of damage is done. So it is usually found by chance, on a blood test or a scan done for something else. Meanwhile, Zobair Younossi of the Global MASH Council made the point that these diseases matter partly because they make every other liver disease worse.

The Biopsy Question

Here is the practical split that decides most people’s choice. Some studies need a needle sample of your liver, sometimes more than one. Others let you in on scans and blood tests alone. So if the biopsy is what is stopping you, say that on the first call, because it changes which door you use.

Research Sites Near Charlotte

Several research practices carry these between them, mostly in uptown Charlotte and Statesville. But sites add new studies all the time, so it is worth knowing what sits near you.

Atrium Health

Multiple Charlotte locations / 161+ active studies

Crohn’s, Heart Failure, COPD, Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension

Charlotte’s biggest health system. It is tied to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Also, it runs far more trials than anyone else nearby.

Visit Website →

American Health Research Network

Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 25 to 30+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Type 2 Diabetes

Led by Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal. It is the biggest private lung research group in Charlotte. Specifically, it has 4 offices: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Lake Norman, and Charleston.

Visit Website →

Monroe Biomedical Research

Monroe, NC / 17+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Obesity, Ulcerative Colitis

Notably, one of the 5 busiest research sites in the country. Its 6,300 sq ft space can host overnight stays. It is also an SCRS Global Impact Partner.

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Clinical Research of Gastonia

Gastonia, NC / 11+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Led by Dr. Anup Banerjee. Its 3,500 sq ft space sits next to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Also, it has been running for over 10 years.

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OnSite Clinical Solutions

Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 10+ active studies

Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, COPD, Heart Failure, Atopic Dermatitis

It works with Charlotte doctors in heart, gut, skin, nerve, and joint care. Besides, it runs studies from Phase I through Phase IV.

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Flourish Research

Matthews, NC 28105 / 4+ active studies

Alzheimer’s Disease, Early Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s-Related Psychosis

Led by Dr. M. Reza Bolouri. He has 20+ years in Alzheimer’s research. The site is an Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence. In fact, its network has finished 5,500+ trials.

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New Hope Clinical Research

SouthPark, NC 28211 / 4+ active studies

Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder

Led by Dr. Kurian Abraham. It runs Phase I through IV studies and has 30 beds for overnight stays. Its last FDA audit came back clean. Also, it has finished 200+ brain studies.

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Queen City Clinical Research

SouthPark, NC 28211 / 2+ active studies

Chronic Pain, Chronic Migraine, Osteoarthritis

Led by Dr. Leonardo Kapural, a former Cleveland Clinic professor. Notably, he has written 200+ journal articles. On top of that, many call this the biggest pain research site in the country.

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Novant Health

Multiple Charlotte locations / Several active studies

Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Hypertension

One of the biggest health systems in the Carolinas. Its Heart and Vascular Institute runs heart studies and sees a lot of patients.

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DLVSC

4 Charlotte-area offices / 1+ active studies

Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea

Led by Dr. Gilly Munavalli. This award-winning skin practice owns 50+ FDA-approved lasers and devices. Also, it has its own research team.

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DelRicht Research

South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies

Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression

Part of a national network of mental health research sites. Currently, it runs the azetukalner bipolar depression trial in Charlotte. Previously, it ran other mental health studies.

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TMS of the Carolinas

South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies

Major Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression

A specialty site for brain stimulation care. It runs the fast TMS study that packs 6 weeks into 2.

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What to Expect in a Liver Study

New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.

Prescreening

First comes a short phone call or online form. Also, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check whether you might fit. Then they tell you what is open.

Screening Visit

Next the clinic runs the tests that decide it, which usually means blood work. Also, they go through the consent form line by line, and you can bring somebody with you.

Treatment Period

Then the study begins. So you take the study drug or the placebo on the agreed schedule. Meanwhile, your own doctor keeps managing everything else.

Follow-Up

Finally, there is a check in period at the end. Also, your own doctor gets the results, and you can stop at any point without affecting your care.

Fatty Liver Trial FAQs

Real answers about MASH and MASLD studies near Charlotte NC.

Is there a fatty liver study near Charlotte?

Yes, five, and that makes this one of our better covered conditions. Notably, two of them take you on scans and blood tests alone, with no liver biopsy at any point. Three sit inside Charlotte, one is in Monroe and one is in Statesville. So whether you have reached cirrhosis decides most of which ones apply.

Do I have to have a liver biopsy?

Not necessarily, and this is the most useful thing on the page. Several studies here let you in on scans and blood tests alone, with no needle in your liver at all. Others need one to get in, and one of them can mean two or three across seven years. So say on the first call that biopsies are your sticking point, because it changes which study they offer.

What is MASH, and what happened to NASH?

They are the same disease under a new name. Fat builds up in the liver, causes inflammation, and then scarring. The name was changed to put the metabolic cause at the centre rather than describing it by what it is not. Also, you may still see the old name on paperwork, so do not let that confuse you.

Is there really a drug for this now?

Yes, and that is new. In 2024 resmetirom became the first drug ever approved specifically for this disease with moderate to advanced scarring. Then in August 2025 semaglutide was approved for it too, without cirrhosis. As Naim Alkhouri put it, having that first approval available in clinic has been a game changer.

What if I already have cirrhosis?

Then you are in the group with the biggest gap, and several studies here are built for you. Nothing at all is approved anywhere in the world for cirrhosis caused by fatty liver. So the studies for that stage count serious events over years rather than measuring a scan. However, any past episode of fluid in the belly or liver confusion usually rules you out.

Is there a placebo?

Yes in most of them, but the odds often favour you. Two studies give you twice the chance of the real drug as the dummy. One splits three ways into two real doses and a dummy, so 2 in 3 get real drug. Also, the biggest study offers a 2 year extension afterwards where everybody receives the real drug.

Can I stay on my weight loss shot?

Sometimes, but only on a steady dose, and this now catches a lot of people. One study rules you out if your GLP-1 dose is not stable. Another rules you out if your weight changed by more than 5 percent recently. So tell the clinic exactly what you are taking and for how long, before anything else.

Do I need insurance?

No. None of these require insurance. The study medicine, the scans and the study visits are provided at no cost. Also, you keep your own doctor throughout, and results go back to them. You would always call the clinic yourself.

How long do these run?

They range hugely, so read that line on every card. The shortest is 12 weeks. The longest runs up to 7 years and involves several biopsies. Also, the biggest study is about 4 years with roughly 25 to 30 visits, which is one every couple of months. So match the commitment to what you can actually do.

Where can I get liver care near Charlotte NC?

Atrium Health and Novant Health both run liver and digestive clinics across the metro. Also, ask for a FibroScan by name, because that painless scan is how scarring gets tracked without a needle. Your own doctor can refer you to a liver specialist. Meanwhile, if you have diabetes or carry extra weight, ask about your liver enzymes at your next blood test.

Ready to Explore a Study?

Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.

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← Back to All Clinical Trials

Sources

Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 15, 2026. One study lists a Columbia site that has completed enrolment, so it is not counted here. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.

See which liver study you qualify for →