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RecruitingNCT07312864Updated Apr 20, 2026

Safety and Tolerability Study of a Novel Bioartificial Liver in Liver Failure and Small-for-Size Syndrome

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Chemically induced pluripotent stem cells biological Artificial Liver in Liver Failure and Small-for-Size Syndrome, sponsored by Beijing Friendship Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-20.

Sponsored by Beijing Friendship Hospital · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Dec 2025; still recruiting 11 months later.
Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
12
Allocation
Not applicable
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a novel bioartificial liver (CiPS-BAL) in patients with liver failure or small-for-size syndrome. The study will also collect preliminary data on clinical outcomes and laboratory parameters during treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Is the novel bioartificial liver system safe and well tolerated in patients with liver failure or small-for-size syndrome?

What effects does the treatment have on liver function and other clinical and laboratory indicators?

Researchers will treat participants with the CiPS-BAL system, which uses hepatocytes derived from chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPS) within a bioartificial liver device.

02

Conditions studied

  • Liver Failure
  • Small-for-Size Syndrome

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03

In context

Liver Failure

190 studies on the registry are indexed under Liver Failure; 33 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 12 is below the median of 57 across 113 interventional studies indexed under Liver Failure.

Browse Liver Failure studies →

Lead sponsor

Beijing Friendship Hospital is the lead sponsor of 217 studies on the registry; 94 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients diagnosed with liver failure (including acute, subacute/acute-on-chronic, and chronic liver failure) or small-for-size syndrome

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of severe extrahepatic systemic end-stage diseases
  • Uncontrollable infection or active bleeding
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • History of allergy or known severe to CiPSC-derived cell products or blood products
  • Peripheral vascular collapse leading to inability to obtain venous access or collect blood
  • Unable or unwilling to provide or unable to comply with study requirements
  • Unwilling to receive CiPSC-based therapy
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
12 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    CiPS-BAL

    Chemically induced pluripotent stem cells biological Artificial Liver

    Biological: Chemically induced pluripotent stem cells biological Artificial Liver

Interventions

  • BiologicalChemically induced pluripotent stem cells biological Artificial Liver

    Participants will receive CiPS-BAL therapy, a novel bioartificial liver treatment that combines functional hepatocytes derived from chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPS) with an extracorporeal bioartificial liver device. The CiPS-derived hepatocytes are generated and cultured in vitro under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions and subsequently loaded into the bioartificial liver device prior to treatment. Each treatment session utilizes 1 × 10¹⁰ functional hepatocytes. Therapy is administered via central venous access (e.g., femoral, internal jugular, or subclavian vein) for 4-8 hours per session. The planned treatment frequency is one session, with the possibility of additional sessions depending on clinical response and safety evaluation. Standard medical therapy for liver failure or small-for-size syndrome will be provided concomitantly. Participants will be closely monitored for safety, tolerability, and changes in clinical and laboratory parameters throughout

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of participants with treatment-emergent adverse events and serious adverse events

    The number and proportion of participants experiencing treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) following CiPS-BAL therapy, including but not limited to fever, rash, chest tightness, palpitations, acute infusion reactions, immune rejection, infections, and local complications (e.g., hematoma, bleeding), and thrombosis. Adverse events will be graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 5.0.

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 4 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4).

  2. Survival and Liver Transplantation Rate

    Overall survival of the patients and the proportion of participants who undergo liver transplantation during the study period.

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 4 post-treatment (assessed at 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4,).

  3. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score/Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease (PELD) score

    Changes in MELD/PELD score over time will be used to evaluate disease severity and treatment response.

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 4 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

    GCS will be evaluated at each follow-up visit. The outcome will be reported as the change from baseline in GCS score.

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  2. SOFA Score

    SOFA score will be measured at each specified time point. The outcome will be reported as the change from baseline in SOFA score.

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  3. RBC (Red Blood Cell Count)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  4. Hemoglobin (Hb)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  5. Blood Ammonia

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  6. Lactate

    Lactate levels will be measured from blood samples. The outcome will be reported as the change from baseline at each specified time point.

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  7. WBC (White Blood Cell Count)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  8. Platelet Count (PLT)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  9. ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  10. AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  11. Total Bilirubin (TBIL)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  12. Direct Bilirubin (DBIL)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  13. ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  14. BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  15. Serum Creatinine (Scr)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  16. Albumin (ALB)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  17. Glucose (GLU)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  18. Prothrombin Time (PT)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  19. Prothrombin Activity (PTA)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  20. International Normalized Ratio (INR)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

  21. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)

    Time frame: From completion of CiPS-BAL therapy through Week 12 post-treatment (assessed at 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Week 2, Week 4, and Week 12).

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 20, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07312864
Responsible party
Li-Ying Sun (Director of Department of Critical Liver Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 31, 2025
Start date
Dec 1, 2025
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Apr 20, 2026

Study contacts

Wan-Ting Zhang
Contact
13699189579@163.com
+86 13699189579

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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