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ALIVER · Project

Liver Dialysis Device That Keeps Patients Alive While Waiting for Transplant

healthTestedTRL 7
aliver.info

When your liver fails, toxins build up in your blood because your body's natural filter stops working. Right now, the only real fix is a liver transplant — but there aren't nearly enough donor organs. The ALIVER team built a dialysis machine specifically for the liver: it cleans out the toxins and replaces a key blood protein called albumin that stops doing its job in liver failure. Think of it like a kidney dialysis machine, but designed for the completely different challenge of liver detoxification.

By the numbers
170,000
patients dying from liver failure annually in Europe
18
European hospitals involved in safety study
TRL5 → TRL7/8
technology readiness progression during project
12
consortium partners across 7 countries
23
total project deliverables
The business problem

What needed solving

Every year 170,000 Europeans die from liver failure because their only option — a liver transplant — depends on scarce donor organs. There is no clinically proven device that can keep these patients alive by doing the liver's detoxification work externally. Hospitals and patients are stuck waiting, with no bridge therapy available.

The solution

What was built

The consortium built DIALIVE, a liver dialysis device that removes damaged albumin and replaces it with functional albumin, while also filtering out endotoxins that cause infection. The device was validated in animal models (showing safety, improved immune function, and prolonged survival) and progressed toward clinical trials in 18 European hospitals, with worldwide patent protection secured.

Audience

Who needs this

Medical device companies making blood purification or dialysis equipmentPlasma and blood product companies (especially albumin producers like Grifols)Hospital chains and liver transplant centres with ICU capacityHealth insurance companies looking to reduce liver failure treatment costsPharmaceutical companies developing liver disease treatments seeking combination therapies
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical device manufacturing
enterprise
Target: Companies producing extracorporeal blood purification or dialysis equipment

If you are a medical device manufacturer already making blood purification systems — this project developed DIALIVE, a liver-specific dialysis device tested in animal models and progressed toward clinical trials in 18 European hospitals. It combines albumin replacement and endotoxin removal in one device, protected by worldwide patents. Adding liver dialysis to your product line addresses 170,000 patients dying annually in Europe from liver failure.

Plasma and blood products
enterprise
Target: Companies producing albumin or plasma-derived therapeutics

If you are a plasma products company dealing with limited growth in traditional albumin markets — this project proved that replacing damaged albumin is a key mechanism in treating liver failure. Grifols, a major plasma proteins company, was already identified as a potential licensee. The device creates new demand for clinical-grade albumin in a therapeutic setting beyond simple volume replacement.

Hospital and critical care services
enterprise
Target: Liver transplant centres and intensive care units

If you run a liver unit struggling with patients deteriorating on transplant waiting lists — DIALIVE was designed to stabilize patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure by removing toxins and fighting infection risk. The project aimed for CE-mark approval and defined a reimbursement strategy, meaning it was built with hospital procurement processes in mind. It was tested across 18 European hospitals for safety.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this device cost a hospital to acquire and operate?

The project data does not include specific device pricing or per-treatment costs. However, the consortium explicitly worked on a health economics analysis and reimbursement strategy for the EU, which suggests pricing was designed to fit within existing hospital budgets for critical care.

Can this be manufactured at industrial scale?

DIALIVE started at TRL5 and was targeted to reach TRL7/8 by project end. The consortium included 4 industry partners, and Grifols (a large plasma proteins company) was identified as a potential licensee. This suggests the device was designed with manufacturing scalability in mind.

Who owns the intellectual property and how is it licensed?

The DIALIVE device is protected by worldwide patents. Grifols was named as a potential licensee if clinical studies proved positive. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium, led by University College London.

Has this been tested on real patients?

The project planned clinical trials in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure across 18 European hospitals. In animal models, DIALIVE was shown to be safe, reduced endotoxemia, improved albumin and immune function, and prolonged survival. The project aimed to define safety in human patients.

What regulatory approvals does this have?

The consortium consulted with regulatory bodies and reported that a CE-mark was highly likely if trials were successful. The project planned to obtain CE-mark certification during the grant period (2017-2021). Current CE-mark status would need to be confirmed with the coordinator.

How does this compare to existing liver support devices?

The objective states that a clinically efficacious liver dialysis device is an unmet clinical need — meaning no competing device has proven effective. DIALIVE's dual mechanism of albumin replacement plus endotoxin removal differentiates it from earlier approaches that focused on toxin removal alone.

What is the timeline to market availability?

The project ran from 2017 to 2021 and targeted TRL7/8 with CE-mark. The project is now closed. Current commercialization status and any post-project progress toward market launch should be verified directly with the development team.

Consortium

Who built it

The ALIVER consortium is a strong mix of 12 partners from 7 countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, UK), with a 33% industry ratio that signals real commercial intent. Led by University College London — a top-tier research hospital — it includes 4 industry partners and 2 SMEs alongside 4 research organizations and 2 other entities (including charities). The involvement of both large companies and SMEs suggests the technology was developed with manufacturing and market access in mind, not just academic publishing. Grifols, a major plasma company, was explicitly named as a potential licensee, which adds significant commercialization credibility.

How to reach the team

University College London, UK — hepatology and liver failure research group

Order a report on this consortiumSee UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the DIALIVE development team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people at UCL and their industry partners.

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