Endoscopic Injection of Autologous Fat-Derived Cells (SVF) for Adults With Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). (The GERD-REVIVE Pilot Study) (GERD-REVIVE)

June 5, 2026 updated by: BOSKOSKI IVO, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Submucosal Injection of Autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) at the Esophagogastric Junction for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): A Single-Arm Pilot Feasibility and Safety Study

The purpose of this pilot clinical study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of an innovative endoscopic treatment for adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that does not respond adequately to standard medications. The study focuses on the anti-reflux barrier between the esophagus and the stomach, which fails in patients with GERD. Instead of traditional surgery, this study explores a minimally invasive approach: injecting a specialized mixture of the patient's own fat-derived cells-known as the Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF)-directly into the tissue at the esophagogastric junction during a standard endoscopy. The study is trying to answer two primary questions: Is it clinically feasible and safe to harvest, process, and endoscopically inject autologous SVF cells to support the anti-reflux barrier? Can this cell-based intervention help repair the tissue and improve the mechanical function of the barrier, allowing patients to reduce or completely stop their daily reliance on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)? By answering these questions in a small group of 15 participants, this pilot trial aims to provide the foundational data necessary to design larger clinical studies in the future.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a prospective, single-arm pilot study involving 15 adult patients. The intervention is performed in a single session and consists of three distinct sequential phases: Adipose Tissue Harvesting - autologous fat is obtained via a mini-subcutaneous liposuction from a suitable donor area under local anesthesia using a specialized tumescent solution. GMP-Compliant Processing (ELEA Method) - the lipoaspirate is processed in a GMP-compliant environment using mechanical activation via a Digital Vortex Mixer at 2000 rpm for 8 minutes. The resulting SVF-rich activated fat fraction is separated from the liquid and oil phases, emulsified through a 2 mm filter, and loaded into an endoscopic injection needle. Endoscopic Delivery - under direct endoscopic visualization, the activated SVF is injected circumferentially into the submucosal plane of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), distributed across four quadrants (typically 0.5-1 cm above the squamocolumnar junction) to achieve a symmetric deposition cushion.

Schedule of Assessments and Follow-up Timeline: the total study duration for each participant is 12 months, with scheduled clinic or phone follow-up assessments at Months 1, 3, 6, and 12.

Baseline Evaluation: participants undergo a screening assessment including medical history, GERD Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) questionnaire, baseline upper endoscopy (EGD) with EGJ biopsies, high-resolution manometry (HRM) per Chicago v4.0, and 24-hour pH-impedance monitoring per Lyon 2.0 (performed off PPI therapy for at least 7 days).

Month 6 Evaluation: patients undergo a comprehensive objective re-evaluation including a repeat EGD with follow-up EGJ biopsies, HRM, 24-hour pH-impedance monitoring, and GERD-HRQL scoring.

Month 12 Evaluation: final clinical assessment focusing on long-term safety, adverse event reviewing, GERD-HRQL scoring, and medication status tracking (PPI discontinuation or reduction rates).

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
15

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults 18-75 years; actionable GERD per Lyon 2.0 (e.g., AET >6% off therapy; or LA grade B-D, peptic stricture, Barrett's) and compatible symptoms. [2]
  • Refractory symptoms on optimized PPIs or PPI-dependent disease where intervention is contemplated. [2]
  • HRM excluding major motility disorders (per Chicago v4.0). [21]
  • Willing to undergo adipose harvest and autologous SVF therapy within a clinical trial framework.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Hiatal hernia >3 cm or paraesophageal hernia; severe esophagitis with ulcers (grade B or more); Barrett's with dysplasia; strictures; achalasia/EGJOO/spastic disorders. [2,21]
  • Coagulopathy, uncontrolled cardiopulmonary disease, pregnancy/lactation.
  • Active infection/malignancy significant for increased risk, at PI discretion.
  • Prior fundoplication or magnetic sphincter augmentation within 12 months.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Adults 18-75 years with actionable GERD per Lyon 2.0, refractory or PPI-dependent; motility disorder
Eligible participants will undergo a single session of endoscopic submucosal injection of autologous, mechanically activated Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ). The procedure consists of: Autologous adipose tissue harvesting via a mini-subcutaneous liposuction. GMP-compliant mechanical processing of the lipoaspirate using the ELEA method (vortex mixing at 2000 rpm for 8 minutes and emulsification through a 2 mm filter) to isolate the SVF-rich activated fat fraction. Direct endoscopic delivery via circumferential injections distributed across four quadrants in the submucosal plane of the EGJ (typically 0.5-1 cm above the squamocolumnar junction). Follow-up assessments will be conducted up to 12 months to evaluate safety, clinical response, and anti-reflux barrier metrics.
Procedure: Autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) Endoscopic Injection
This intervention is characterized by the localized, circumferential delivery of a point-of-care, autologous cell mixture derived from adipose tissue, distinguished by the following specific methodological parameters: Mechanical Processing (ELEA Method) - unlike chemical enzymatic digestion or standard centrifugation, the harvested fat is processed using purely mechanical activation via a Digital Vortex Mixer at 2000 rpm for exactly 8 minutes to separate the Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF)-rich activated fat fraction. Emulsification - the isolated activated fat fraction is emulsified by mechanical passage through a dedicated 2 mm filter before being loaded into a 19-gauge endoscopic injection needle. Anatomical Site and Delivery - the cell-rich cushion is injected submucosally and symmetrically across four quadrants at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), precisely 0.5 to 1 cm above the squamocolumnar junction, to physically and biologically augment the anti-reflux barrier.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Feasibility of autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) harvesting, processing, and endoscopic delivery
Time Frame: day 0
The proportion of participants who successfully undergo the entire procedural workflow without major protocol deviations. This includes successful mini-subcutaneous adipose tissue harvesting, GMP-compliant mechanical processing via the ELEA method, and symmetric endoscopic submucosal injection at the esophagogastric junction.
day 0

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of procedure- and product-related adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs)
Time Frame: Up to 12 months post-procedure.
Safety will be assessed by recording the frequency, severity, and cumulative incidence of all local and systemic adverse events. This includes specific monitoring for bleeding, perforation, infection, chest pain, dysphagia, stricture formation, mediastinitis, ectopic nodules, or neoplastic changes at the esophagogastric junction.
Up to 12 months post-procedure.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 5, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 5, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 5, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 14201

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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