Artificial Liver Support System

Is the only treatment for end-stage liver disease, but many patients die before receiving a transplant due to the severe shortage of donor organs. Researchers, therefore, have explored various liver assist technologies, or "artificial livers," to keep patients alive while waiting for a transplant.

San Diego, CA -- January 7, 2009 -- Vital Therapies, Inc. (VTI), a development stage company targeting liver disease, today announced patient enrollment has begun for a randomized, controlled, multi-center, Phase 2 clinical trial that will study the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD) as a treatment for patients with Acute Liver Failure (ALF) under three protocols. The study is open for enrollment at seven U.S. sites, which will be expanded to 15 sites in the U.S. and Europe during the first half of 2009. Six patients have already been enrolled in the first protocol and four patients have been treated under the emergency use Expanded Access regulations.