Barcelona, 29th April 2026
Barcelona Liver Bioservices (BLB), in collaboration with Novo Nordisk, presented new preclinical data at the EASL Congress 2026 showing that GLP-1 receptor agonism can reduce portal pressure in experimental cirrhosis.
The study, presented as Poster #2319, “GLP-1 agonist lowers portal pressure by modulating hepatic vascular tone in a toxin-induced cirrhotic rat model”, evaluated the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonism on portal haemodynamics in a thioacetamide-induced rat model of cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
After three weeks of treatment, the GLP-1 agonist reduced portal pressure by approximately 10% and was associated with a 22% reduction in intrahepatic vascular resistance, together with a trend towards increased portal blood flow. Importantly, these haemodynamic improvements occurred without changes in liver fibrosis and were independent of the modest reduction in body weight observed during treatment.
These findings suggest that GLP-1-based therapies may exert beneficial effects on portal hypertension through the modulation of hepatic vascular tone, beyond their established metabolic and weight-lowering effects.
“The reduction in portal pressure despite unchanged fibrosis is particularly interesting, as it points towards a dynamic and potentially druggable vascular component of portal hypertension,” said Jordi Gracia-Sancho, co-founder and CSO of Barcelona Liver Bioservices. “These results also highlight the value of robust preclinical haemodynamic models for identifying mechanisms that may be relevant for future clinical translation.”
The study further supports the use of the TAA cirrhosis model as a translational platform for testing therapeutic interventions targeting portal hypertension and intrahepatic vascular resistance.
Although these results are encouraging, the findings remain preclinical. Human haemodynamic studies will be needed to determine whether similar vascular effects occur in patients with advanced chronic liver disease and portal hypertension.
The work reflects the ongoing collaboration between Barcelona Liver Bioservices and Novo Nordisk to investigate novel therapeutic approaches and mechanisms in advanced chronic liver disease.
Poster #2319 | EASL Congress 2026
GLP-1 agonist lowers portal pressure by modulating hepatic vascular tone in a toxin-induced cirrhotic rat model