Washington DC, November 7th 2025
Barcelona Liver Bioservices (BLB), a leading preclinical research organization specialized in liver disease modeling and drug discovery, is proud to announce the presentation of its latest study entitled “A microfluidic human liver slice model for antifibrotic drug screening: GLP1-R agonist Liraglutide demonstrates antifibrotic activity” at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
This innovative study showcases a major advance in BLB’s ex vivo liver research platform portfolio, highlighting the application of a microfluidic human liver slice model that enables dynamic perfusion, extended tissue viability, and precise assessment of antifibrotic compounds in a human-relevant chronic liver disease context.
The poster presentation reveals compelling findings that underline the model’s potential to accelerate antifibrotic drug discovery and validation:
- Human relevance and reproducibility: The microfluidic system preserves the complex architecture and multicellular interactions of native human liver tissue, offering superior translational value compared to traditional static cultures.
- Dynamic fibrosis assessment: The platform allows real-time evaluation of fibrosis progression and response to treatment, enabling sensitive detection of antifibrotic effects.
- Liraglutide demonstrates antifibrotic efficacy: Treatment with the GLP1-R agonist Liraglutide resulted in significant reductions in fibrosis-related gene expression and extracellular matrix deposition, revealing a previously underexplored mechanism of antifibrotic action.
Commenting on the study, Prof. Jordi Gracia-Sancho, Chief Scientific Officer of Barcelona Liver Bioservices, said:
“This work represents a significant step forward in our mission to bridge preclinical discovery and clinical translation. Our microfluidic human liver slice model provides a powerful, human-relevant tool to evaluate antifibrotic therapies such as Liraglutide, and reinforces BLB’s commitment to advancing precision liver research.”
Through this presentation, BLB continues to expand its portfolio of advanced preclinical liver models, supporting pharmaceutical partners in the development of next-generation therapies for chronic liver diseases.
About Barcelona Liver Bioservices (BLB)
Barcelona Liver Bioservices is a specialized CRO focused on translational research in liver diseases. With cutting-edge in vivo, ex vivo, and omics-based platforms, BLB provides customized preclinical solutions to support drug discovery and development in hepatology.
🔗 To learn more about our services or explore potential collaborations, visit: https://liver.barcelona/