Medications

Primary hepatocytes from human, monkey, rat and dog compared over 14 days in monolayer, static spheroid and perfused microphysiological culture; human and monkey cells held function longer and were more sensitive to species-specific DILI compounds.

VMP1 and autophagy genes rise in human acetaminophen liver failure; liver-specific Vmp1 knockout mice are protected from acetaminophen injury, with changes in inflammation and hepatocyte proliferation. Mouse; single study.

Meta-analysis of 4 RCTs: efruxifermin (bivalent FGF21 analogue, protects hepatocytes from cellular distress) improved fibrosis by >=1 stage without MASH worsening (RR=1.73), reduced enhanced liver fibrosis score, Pro-C3, and FibroScan stiffness vs placebo. Abideen ZU 2026, Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol.

Reviews resmetirom (THR-beta agonist), semaglutide (GLP-1), lanifibranor (pan-PPAR), and obeticholic acid (FXR) as zone-aware hepatocyte therapeutics.

Organoid-based expansion combined with molecular reprogramming for clinical-grade hepatocyte production; pipeline for cell therapy in liver failure.

Controlled oxygenation in perfusion bioreactors rescues CYP450 activity and albumin secretion in iPSC-derived liver tissue; addresses the Zone 3 hypoxia problem in static culture.

Hepatocyte-plus-nonparenchymal-cell microtissues outperform hepatocyte-only systems in functional output (albumin, urea, CYP activity) and survival after transplant into liver failure models.

Reviews gene therapy and cell therapy approaches targeting hepatocytes; expansion barriers remain a key challenge for clinical-grade cell products.

Partial cellular reprogramming via selective OSK (Oct4/Sox2/Klf4) mRNA LNP delivery to hepatocytes reverses fibrosis markers in mouse model.