Experimental therapy could ‘grow new liver’ inside patients’ bodies

Hepatocytes taken from donated livers are mixed into a solution and transplanted into the upper abdominal lymph nodes of the patient using minimally invasive surgery and endoscopic ultrasound. Photo: Collected

An innovative liver-growing treatment now undergoing human testing could revolutionise treatment options for those patients who need liver transplants.

LyGenesis, a biotech firm, has recently initiated phase II trials for its experimental therapy designed to grow miniature livers within the body's lymph nodes, reports Gizmodo.

If successful, this therapy could be a game-changer for those battling life-threatening liver diseases but cannot get a regular transplant.

The treatment, known as LYG-LIV-001, starts with hepatocytes — special liver cells — taken from donated livers that would not otherwise be usable for transplants. These cells are then mixed into a solution and transplanted into the upper abdominal lymph nodes of the patient using minimally invasive surgery and endoscopic ultrasound.

The hope is that these lymph nodes will act like living factories, helping the hepatocytes to grow into functional liver tissue, albeit in an unusual spot in the body.

According to Gizmodo, LyGenesis aims to get approval for LYG-LIV-001 as a treatment for end-stage liver disease (ESLD) — a severe form of chronic organ damage that contributes to about 2% of all yearly deaths.

While liver transplants can be a solution, many ESLD patients do not qualify for transplants, and about 17% of those on the waiting list die each year. LyGenesis recently shared that the first ESLD patient in its phase II trial has received the therapy.

LyGenesis CEO Michael Hufford expressed optimism, saying, "This therapy will potentially be a remarkable regenerative medicine milestone by helping patients with ESLD grow new functional ectopic livers in their own body."

If successful, the therapy could allow one donated liver to help many ESLD patients, potentially balancing the supply and demand for organs.

It will take months to determine whether the treatment is effective for the first patient, and the trial, which aims to enrol 12 patients, will not be completed until early 2026. If successful, LyGenesis plans to expand its technology to grow other organs like kidneys, thymus, and pancreas.