Successfully resuscitated organs from a donor after long-time circulation death ex vivo
Reviving the metabolic recovery of weakened livers via comparative metabolomic*1 analysis
Kyoto, Japan – March 14, 2021 – SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. has recently succeeded in short-time functional resuscitation of weakened livers by ex vivo perfusion*2, in collaboration with the Keio University School of Medicine (hereinafter referred to as "Keio University") for clinical organ perfusion systems development.
To solve the serious shortage of transplant organs, The US and European countries have begun donor organ transplants after circulation death by resuscitating organ functions via machine perfusion. However, the time it takes to revive organs with weakened functions due to warm ischemia*3 in circulation death has not yet been clarified.
In April 2015, SCREEN signed a joint research agreement with RIKEN Organ Induction Research Team and Organ Technologies Inc. to develop an organ perfusion system that enables long-term organ preservation and functional resuscitation. In September 2018, SCREEN started a joint research project with the Keio University for developing this system for clinical use.
In this study, SCREEN demonstrated that a porcine liver which had weakened during prolonged warm ischemia after circulation death was perfused in 3 hours using their system and revived such that similar metabolic activity to that after in vivo resuscitation was achieved, based on metabolomic analysis. These results have been published
in Transplantation Direct (Vol. 7, No. 7, July 2021), which specializes in transplantation.
SCREEN will continue aiming for clinical use of the organ perfusion system through joint development with leading academics in the medical field, and contributing to development of transplantation or regenerative medicine via our technologies.
Comments from Professor Eiji Kobayashi, Internal Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine), the Keio University School of Medicine
The dream technology of resuscitating organs ex vivo after prolonged warm ischemia is eagerly awaited by those involved in transplantation globally. I would like to express my respect to SCREEN for developing a basic device in such a short period, and I hope that it will be allowed for worldwide clinical use.
The paper
| Title： | Rapid Metabolic Recovery of Donor Circulatory Death Liver Graft Using Whole Blood Perfusion: A Pig Study |
| Authors： | Yoshimoto S, Ohara M, Torai S, Kasamatsu H, Ishikawa J, Kimura T, Nadahara S, Kobayashi E. |
| Publication： | Transplantation Direct |
| DOI： | 10.1097/TXD.0000000000001170 |
| *1 Metabolome: | a general term for metabolites produced by proteins and enzymes in the cells and tissues of living organisms. The entire metabolic system and its metabolites are analyzed. |
| *2 Perfusion: | the pouring of a liquid containing a drug or other substance into the body or into organs, tissues, or cells. |
| *3 Ischemia: | the loss of blood supply to an organ due to cardiac arrest or blood vessel blockage. |
Contact about this News
SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
nr-info@screen.co.jp
Information contained in the news release are current on the date of publication, but may be subject to change without notice.