Ocera Therapeutics licenses UCL liver failure research

UCL Business and biopharmaceutical company Ocera Therapeutics Inc have signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement for UCL-L1V - a compound that can be used to treat acute hepatic encephalopathy (AHE) based on international research led by Professor Rajiv Jalan and the Liver Failure Group at the Institute of Hepatology at UCL. The research team led by Professor Jalan reported findings in Hepatology in February 2009 that the compound UCL-1V directly reduces blood levels of ammonia: a highly toxic chemical that builds up during attacks of AHE. The research also demonstrated that UCL-1V also led to a reduction in the pressure within in the cranium in models of AHE in acute liver failure and cirrhosis. AHE is a reversible neuropsychiatric abnormality frequently seen as a complication of acute liver failure and cirrhosis. With severe liver impairment, toxic substances such as ammonia that are normally removed by the liver accumulate in the blood and impair the function of brain cells. Signs of AHE include impaired cognition, uncontrolled movements and decreased levels of consciousness leading to coma. Cirrhosis, which can cause AHE, occurs due to a variety of causes such as hepatitis B and C infection, alcohol, and fatty liver associated with obesity and diabetes.