The SELIC Trial Seladelpar for the Treatment of Ischemic Cholangiopathy: An Open-Label, Single-Arm, Investigator-Initiated Study

Ischemic cholangiopathy (IC) is a serious complication after liver transplantation, particularly in recipients of donation after circulatory death grafts, and is associated with cholestasis, biliary strictures, and graft dysfunction. No approved pharmacologic therapies currently exist. Seladelpar, a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPAR-δ) agonist recently approved for primary biliary cholangitis, reduces bile acid synthesis and inflammation and has demonstrated antifibrotic activity, making it a promising candidate for IC. We designed a prospective, open-label, single-arm, investigator-initiated study (SELIC) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of seladelpar in adult liver transplant recipients with IC. Ten patients will receive seladelpar 10 mg orally once daily for 52 weeks. Outcomes will be compared to historical controls identified from the same institution. The primary endpoint is percent change in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) from baseline to Week 26. Additional outcomes include ERCP utilization, liver allograft loss, and safety assessed by adverse event and laboratory monitoring and drug discontinuation rates. This pilot study will provide the first prospective data on seladelpar in IC and may establish preliminary evidence for a novel therapeutic approach to reduce cholestasis, improve symptoms, and preserve graft function in this high-risk population.