Yaqrit

Yaqrit is a late-stage clinical biotechnology company developing treatments for advanced liver diseases. A spinout from University College London (UCL), the company was founded in 2014 by Professor Rajiv Jalan, a renowned hepatologist, based on two decades of his research. Professor Jalan, who serves as the company's Founder and Chief Medical Officer, is a key opinion leader in advanced liver disease and has published over 550 peer-reviewed papers. In January 2025, Troels Jordansen, a seasoned executive with experience in raising capital for life sciences companies, was appointed CEO to guide the company through late-stage clinical development and commercialization.

The company's business model focuses on developing a pipeline of products through focused subsidiaries to address specific needs in advanced liver disease, from clinic to intensive care. Yaqrit's strategy involves securing non-dilutive grant funding and building pharmaceutical partnerships to advance its products through clinical trials and towards regulatory approval and commercialization. The company has successfully raised funds through multiple rounds, including grants from the European Union and the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and private equity from Riveria Investment Group.

Yaqrit is developing a portfolio of five potential treatments targeting various stages of liver disease. One of its key products is DIALIVE (YAQ002), an extracorporeal liver support device for patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF), a life-threatening condition. DIALIVE functions as a liver dialysis system, removing toxins from the blood and replacing dysfunctional albumin to allow the liver to regenerate. A recent £2.2 million NIHR grant is funding a pivotal trial for DIALIVE, with results expected in Q1 2027, moving it closer to market authorization. Another lead product is CARBALIVE (YAQ001), an oral therapeutic composed of engineered carbon beads designed to restore gut health by absorbing harmful bacterial toxins in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The pipeline also includes ammonia scavengers and a TLR4 antagonist to treat complications like hepatic encephalopathy and prevent organ damage.

Keywords: liver disease therapeutics, Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure, ACLF, liver dialysis, extracorporeal liver support, DIALIVE, decompensated cirrhosis, CARBALIVE, gut microbiome, hepatology, Rajiv Jalan, clinical-stage biotechnology, endotoxin removal, albumin replacement, hepatic encephalopathy, UCL spinout, organ failure treatment, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, nanoporous carbons