Results from the Phase 2 study in pediatric cholestasis were presented on the effect of odevixibat on reducing serum
bile acids, and improving pruritus and sleep measures in a subset of patients with Alagille syndrome, as well as the effect of odevixibat on reducing serum
bile acids and improving pruritus in a small subset of patients with biliary atresia.
The condition causes the build-up of
bile acids in the blood, and symptoms include itching, often severe.
These diseases result in impaired
bile acid flow and accumulation of toxic levels of
bile acids in the liver, leading to progressive liver damage that may ultimately result in liver failure.
Decades of research attest to the hormonal effects of
bile acids on energy (glucose, lipids, and lipoproteins) and inflammation--the sterolbiome.
Bile acids are made by the liver from cholesterol and excreted via bile.
Analytes measured were aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
bile acids (BA), creatine kinase (CK), uric acid (UA), glucose (GLU), total calcium (CA), phosphorus (PHOS), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLOB), potassium (K), and sodium (NA).
Taurine has many functions, but two that are important for this discussion involve its role in normal heart function and its presence as a component of
bile acids, which are needed for fat digestion.
Elobixibat inhibits the
bile acid transporter that regulates reabsorption of
bile acids thereby increasing the flow of
bile acids to the colon.
As many genes have proved to control the serum
bile acid levels and
bile acids trigger inflammatory process in the liver that stimulates hepatic stellate cells and lead to induction of fibrogenesis, it is proposed that polymorphisms of genes that regulate
bile acid levels may affect the progression of liver disease (6-8).