“Off-the-Shelf” Bioartificial Liver Cartridge Could Transform Liver Failure Treatment

A recent publication in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology details the HepatiCan™ Bioartificial Liver system, housing lab-grown human liver spheroids inside a specially designed fluidised bed bioreactor.

Different prototype designs were tested, with the final version proving the most effective, with its improved base plate design ensuring smoother fluid flow and more consistent conditions for the liver cells to grow and thrive. In testing, the device supported strong cell growth and liver cell organoids were able to recover full function after being frozen, paving the way for easy storage and transport.

The HepatiCan™ biocartridge is built entirely from medically compliant, single-use materials designed to meet stringent clinical safety standards. Every component — from the cartridge housing to the internal flow distributor — is made from biocompatible materials approved for medical use. This ensures that the device is both safe for patient contact and suitable for good manufacturing practice (GMP) production.

This “off-the-shelf” capability could make emergency liver support widely available, marking a major step toward practical bioartificial liver therapy for patients with liver failure.

Read the full article here.