HepaPheresis™ System: THe HepaHope approach
The unique insight behind the development of the HepaPheresis™ System was the realization that prevailing cell-based approaches were fundamentally deficient in certain aspects of normal liver functionality. This missing functionality results from processes within a healthy liver that occur not within its individual cells but through complex interactive processes occurring within—and dependent upon—the structural context of the living organ. HepaHope’s solution was to move beyond individual cells by developing and perfecting a unique bioreactor utilizing well-preserved structures made of intact liver slices. By using structurally complex slices of liver tissue, the bioreactor retains the necessary complexity needed to support a greater level of liver functionality and to offer the hope for more efficient and effective treatment.
HepaHope’s HepaPheresis™ System functions by utilizing extracorporeal circulation in a manner similar to hemodialysis. The HepaPheresis™ System withdraws a patient's blood and separates it into blood cells and plasma components. The blood is then passed through the proprietary bioreactor where toxic ammonia is removed and toxic drugs such as Lidocaine and Diazepam are metabolized to non-toxic elements. The detoxified blood is then returned to the patient through intravenous access with a hemodialysis central venous catheter. By utilizing HepaHope’s unique and proprietary transgenic porcine liver slice technology, the HepaPheresis™ System offers the increased functionality and efficiency necessary to provide significant improvement in therapeutic outcomes for liver failure patients.