Medicyte, The Electrospinning Company and the Universities of Manchester and Pisa have launched a European-wide project, the Re-liver Consortium, aimed to design a biomimetic bioartificial liver.

Within the E.U., 6% of the population suffers from chronic liver diseases. However, scientists experience several limitations for possible applications: suitable donor livers for solid organ transplant are in short supply, while in vitro and ex vivo technologies for recapitulating liver function still fall short of reliability, consistency and predictability.

The aim of Re-Liver is to reconstitute a standardized and reproducible bioartificial liver organoid (BLO) using healthy human liver as an architectural and biomaterial template. According to the EMA criteria, the BLO will be a cell-based medicinal product, a highly innovative and complex medicine.

In addition to the Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP), new diagnostic tools and further products in cell-based applications will be developed and validated by the Re-Liver Consortium. The results of Re-Liver could be used for minimal invasive implantation to treat metabolic diseases, such as Haemophilia A, minimizing the transition from concept to clinic and also as an alternative for solid organ transplantation—giving new hope to over 10,000 people waiting for a liver transplant in the E.U.

“I am highly delighted receiving the opportunity from the European Union to lead the Re-Liver joined forces of industry and academia,” said Dr. Joris Braspenning, CEO and CSO of Medicyte and coordinator of the Re-Liver consortium. “The combination of our complimentary areas of expertise will give a deeper insight into the complex bioartificial liver design, but is also an innovative approach to develop better and quicker diagnostic tools and cell-based products. This will be of great benefit for tomorrow’s advanced therapies and of course for patients suffering from liver diseases.”

The company GABO:mi will ensure professional project management.