Weight gain following LT is common and a risk for cardiovascular disease and development of NAFLD. Developing NAFLD following LT can lead to patients developing scar tissue in the graft (transplanted liver), and graft-cirrhosis. These events can limit the benefit of the transplanted liver graft and reduce the benefit of LT as a therapy. Current weight management strategies have not been successful at the prevention of these events in most patients. This highlights a substantial unmet need for effective treatment to prevent or reduce post-LT weight gain and highlight the importance of new treatment strategies for reducing illness, death, and healthcare cost associated with post-LT weight gain.~The purpose of this research study is to test the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of semaglutide when used to prevent weight gain after liver transplant. Semaglutide is a drug that has been approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.~Semaglutide, has shown to be effective for not only weight loss but also long-term weight maintenance. Semaglutide has also shown to be helpful in treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the non-transplant population. This medication also is used to control blood sugar and prevent cardiovascular disease, which contributes to poor outcomes in LT recipients. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to determine if use of semaglutide early after LT can (1) reduce weight gain and (2) prevent development of NAFLD following LT.
In this study, semaglutide will be compared to placebo (a look-alike inactive substance, a sugar pill) to determine if its use will prevent weight gain after liver transplantation (LT). In addition, researchers will be testing to determine if semaglutide prevents the development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) after transplant through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and laboratory results.