A choline deficient L-amino acid defined (CDAA) diet led to the development of liver cirrhosis in male Wistar rats after 16 weeks. A new prolyl 4-hydroxylase inhibitor, 2,4-pyridine dicarboxylic acid bis [(2-methoxyethyl amide)] (HOE 077), prevented liver fibrosis in a dose-dependent manner without a reduction in increased serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in parallel with a reduction in preneoplastic enzyme-altered lesions stained with anti-glutathione S-transferase placental form antibody. HOE 077 reduced the increase in serum procollagen III peptide (PIIIP) in a dose-dependent manner and in proportion to the reduction in mRNA expression of type III procollagen in the liver of rats fed a CDAA diet.