Acute liver failure (ALF) occurs when an acute injury to the liver is not compensated by the liver’s endogenous regenerative capacity, resulting in impaired liver function. Accelerating the liver’s regenerative capacity by activating the MET-hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling pathway was the aim of this research. AGMB-101, developed by Agomab Therapeutics NV, is an agonist antibody targeting MET that was tested in two murine models of ALF.
The liver X receptor (LXR) is a nuclear hormone receptor that is one of the most important regulators of cholesterol homeostasis and plays a key role in triglyceride (TG) regulation. Researchers from Orsobio Inc. and Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG have presented preclinical data on TLC-2716, a potent, small-molecule LXR inverse agonist for the treatment of lipid disorders.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a disease affecting the bile ducts that can lead to end-stage liver disease and cholangiocarcinoma. Patients with this disease lack therapeutic treatment other than liver transplantation.
Animal models recapitulating the immune features of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are very limited. An Osaka University research team has developed a novel murine model of CHB and tested the efficacy and immunomodulating effects of interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy.
Researchers from Gilead Sciences Inc. presented preclinical data for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine candidates GS-2829 and GS-6779. Conservation analysis and functional immunogenicity screening were applied to identify optimized anti-hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary cancer of the liver with a median survival of 25 months. Therapeutic options for CCA are limited and the discovery of new therapeutic approaches is crucial for CCA management.
Scientists from Orsobio Inc. and affiliated organizations have described preclinical data for the novel liver-targeted mitochondrial protonophore TLC-6740, being developed for the treatment of metabolic disease. In vitro, mild mitochondrial uncoupling caused by TLC-6740 had pleotropic metabolic benefits in multiple cell lines. TLC-6740 increased mitochondrial potential, oxygen consumption rate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux, and it also inhibited de novo lipogenesis with EC50 values of 6.9 µM.
Researchers from Aligos Therapeutics Inc. have described the discovery of novel liver-targeted oral PD-L1 small-molecule inhibitors for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and liver cancers.
