Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) represents a cholestatic disease hallmarked by persistent and progressive inflammation of the bile ducts. Despite its low incidence and unfavorable prognosis, there is no pharmacological therapy capable of altering the course of PSC, and liver transplantation is...

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Main Authors: Hang Yang, Juan Zhen, Xiaoyan Huang, Minqi Chen, Hongsi Cui, Xia Sheng, Xinyu Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1544601/full
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author Hang Yang
Juan Zhen
Xiaoyan Huang
Minqi Chen
Hongsi Cui
Xia Sheng
Xinyu Li
author_facet Hang Yang
Juan Zhen
Xiaoyan Huang
Minqi Chen
Hongsi Cui
Xia Sheng
Xinyu Li
author_sort Hang Yang
collection DOAJ
description Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) represents a cholestatic disease hallmarked by persistent and progressive inflammation of the bile ducts. Despite its low incidence and unfavorable prognosis, there is no pharmacological therapy capable of altering the course of PSC, and liver transplantation is the only effective treatment. In the face of the landscape of PSC, pharmaceutical therapy encounters great challenges that demand expeditious resolution. However, at present, many drugs have been carried out to phase III clinical trials and are expected to be applied to the clinical treatment of PSC patients in the future. This review integrates relevant research findings from PubMed and Web of Science databases up to October 2024 over the past decade, excluding other liver diseases, such as fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and alcoholic liver disease. It covers the vast majority of drugs currently in clinical trials, and focus on the summary of hot research drugs, and summarizes the latest drug-based therapeutic for PSC. This review not only provides certain information for clinical research and treatment of PSC, but it is also the first time that stem cell therapy has been linked to PSC, which is expected to improve cholestasis and liver inflammation in patients with PSC. The article provides explanations and comparisons of different drugs, offering a basis for future researchers to choose medications.
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spelling doaj-art-bc1d32711f6e4088954bd6e922b4e4fd2025-08-20T03:32:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-06-011210.3389/fmed.2025.15446011544601Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitisHang Yang0Juan Zhen1Xiaoyan Huang2Minqi Chen3Hongsi Cui4Xia Sheng5Xinyu Li6Department of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaDepartment of Cadre Ward, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaThe First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaThe First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaThe First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaPrimary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) represents a cholestatic disease hallmarked by persistent and progressive inflammation of the bile ducts. Despite its low incidence and unfavorable prognosis, there is no pharmacological therapy capable of altering the course of PSC, and liver transplantation is the only effective treatment. In the face of the landscape of PSC, pharmaceutical therapy encounters great challenges that demand expeditious resolution. However, at present, many drugs have been carried out to phase III clinical trials and are expected to be applied to the clinical treatment of PSC patients in the future. This review integrates relevant research findings from PubMed and Web of Science databases up to October 2024 over the past decade, excluding other liver diseases, such as fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and alcoholic liver disease. It covers the vast majority of drugs currently in clinical trials, and focus on the summary of hot research drugs, and summarizes the latest drug-based therapeutic for PSC. This review not only provides certain information for clinical research and treatment of PSC, but it is also the first time that stem cell therapy has been linked to PSC, which is expected to improve cholestasis and liver inflammation in patients with PSC. The article provides explanations and comparisons of different drugs, offering a basis for future researchers to choose medications.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1544601/fullprimary sclerosing cholangitisursodeoxycholic acidNor-UDCAclinical trialdrug therapy
spellingShingle Hang Yang
Juan Zhen
Xiaoyan Huang
Minqi Chen
Hongsi Cui
Xia Sheng
Xinyu Li
Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
Frontiers in Medicine
primary sclerosing cholangitis
ursodeoxycholic acid
Nor-UDCA
clinical trial
drug therapy
title Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
title_full Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
title_fullStr Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
title_full_unstemmed Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
title_short Current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
title_sort current status of pharmacotherapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis
topic primary sclerosing cholangitis
ursodeoxycholic acid
Nor-UDCA
clinical trial
drug therapy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1544601/full
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