NIHR Awards Funding for HepatiCan Bioartificial Liver Device to Advance Toward Clinical Trials

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded funding to support the continued development of HepatiCan™, a pioneering bioartificial liver device aimed at rescuing patients suffering from acute liver failure (ALF). The award will fund essential usability and regulatory work required to prepare the device for clinical trials.

The HepatiCan project, supported through the NIHR’s i4i Connect programme (Call 8), was recommended by the i4i Connect Committee and formally approved by the Department of Health and Social Care. The funding marks a critical step in transitioning the device from preclinical development to real-world clinical evaluation.

Designed as a life-saving intervention for patients experiencing ALF, HepatiCan replicates key liver functions to support the body while the native liver recovers or until a transplant becomes available. This latest phase of the project will focus on summative usability testing and regulatory alignment—key requirements for approval to begin clinical trials.

This funding signals a major milestone for the HepatiCan team, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to fostering cutting-edge healthcare innovation and accelerating life-saving treatments to patients in need.