Each year in the U.S. some 50,000 people are rushed to hospital with ACLF. Costs of care can range from $116,000 to $180,000 per episode. Despite current aggressive medical management, mortality at 30 and 90 days remains high, ranging from about 50% in milder cases to 80% in patients with 3 or more organ system failures.
Medical management is often viewed as a bridge to transplantation, but many patients don’t qualify (age, co-morbidities, etc.) and demand greatly exceeds the supply ⏤ 50% die before getting a transplant and only 25% of patients are successfully transplanted
As the liver generates energy to perform its myriad functions, toxic molecules, called reactive oxygen species, are generated. These molecules can damage individual liver cells (hepatocytes) in an already-injured liver, leading to their death.
LIVANTRA shifts the generation of energy in the liver from fatty acid oxidation to glucose oxidation so that fewer of these toxic molecules are produced. As a consequence, there is less damage to individual hepatocytes, leading to less hepatocyte death. Additionally, LIVANTRA is hypothesized to preserve cellular energy, leading to increased ATP (cell fuel) levels in hepatocytes. Being able to maintain a good energy balance is important for hepatocytes under the stress of ACLF.