Dasatinib and quercetin reduce liver fibrosis in a phase-2 MASH trial
The senolytic combination improved liver fibrosis without disease worsening in nearly half of treated participants while lowering cellular senescence markers.
Nature metabolism · Koning M et al. · Paper published 1 Oct 2026
In a phase-2 randomized controlled trial, 31 human participants with fibrotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) received either dasatinib plus quercetin or a placebo. Participants took the senolytics or placebo for three consecutive days weekly for three weeks, repeating this schedule over three 7-week cycles.
On paired liver biopsies, 47 percent of participants receiving the senolytics achieved at least a one-stage fibrosis improvement without MASH worsening, compared to 7 percent on placebo. MASH resolved in 53 percent of treated patients versus 7 percent in the placebo group. Senolytic therapy also caused a significantly greater reduction in NAFLD Activity Scores. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing revealed decreased senescence and fibrotic gene signatures alongside fewer fibrogenic cells. While 82 percent of senolytic-treated participants experienced adverse events compared to 43 percent on placebo, all events were self-limiting.
Why it matters
Cellular senescence drives tissue inflammation and fibrosis during aging and chronic disease. This trial provides proof-of-principle evidence in humans that senolytic drugs can reduce senescent cell signatures and reverse organ-level fibrosis.
Caveats
The study was small, evaluating only 31 participants in a proof-of-principle setting. Adverse events were also nearly twice as frequent in the treatment group compared to placebo.
Written from the paper’s abstract, and every claim checked against it before publishing. Read the paper for the full methods and data.
The paper
Senolytics dasatinib and quercetin in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: a proof-of-principle randomized, controlled trial
Koning M, Kovynev A, Fondevila MF et al.
Nature metabolism · 1 Oct 2026 · Peer-reviewed
- Relevance
- Core geroscience
- News value
- Important
- Evidence
- Human trial
- Status
- Peer-reviewed
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