Miromatrix Medical and Baxter International have teamed up to explore additional treatment options for patients with acute liver failure (ALF) who need organ support therapies.
Under the collaborative research agreement, Miromatrix and Baxter will combine their solutions to create new liver therapy, dubbed miroliverELAP.
Miromatrix will integrate its single-use bioengineered liver with Baxter’s PrisMax system that delivers continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for miroliverELAP.
MiroliverELAP will be designed to provide ALF patients with external therapeutic support as they wait hoping their native liver will regenerate back to health.
Miromatrix CEO Jeff Ross said: “Miromatrix believes that miroliverELAP has the potential to save and improve the lives of ALF patients while simultaneously increasing the availability of livers for transplant into other patients.
“We are excited to be partnering with Baxter to pioneer this next-generation innovation in acute care and liver disease.”
In November last year, Miromatrix filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for miroliverELAP, which is the first IND submitted for a bioengineered organ.
Miromatrix intends to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial using miroliverELAP to treat patients suffering from ALF, after receiving FDA’s decision.
The Phase 1 study of miroliverELAP will serve as a foundation for generating evidence on how the therapy may help support patients with ALF.
Furthermore, Baxter has created custom-made software and disposables to run the miroliverELAP treatments during the Phase 1 clinical trial.
Baxter acute therapies vice president Brian Tufts said: “Baxter is focused on promoting continuous innovation to advance our organ support therapies and further elevate care for patients with ALF and other critical conditions.
“Combining Miromatrix’s pioneering bioengineered organ technology with Baxter’s expertise in critical care delivery and industry-leading PrisMax system has the potential to transform care for ALF patients.”
Last month, Baxter announced its plans to spin off its Renal Care and Acute Therapies global business units (GBUs) to enhance its operational efficiency.
