WHO estimates that more than 650 million people globally and more than 29 million European citizens suffer from a chronic liver condition with in excess of 170,000 European deaths from cirrhosis alone each year. Liver disease remains the 5th most common cause of death across Europe in individuals aged 45-65 years and costs more than €15.8bn per annum in total health costs and loss in economic productivity. Alarming increases in obesity rates and an ageing population mean that liver disease will become an even greater health concern for Europe over the next decade. The three major causes of liver disease; alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and viral hepatitis are amenable to prevention and treatment providing an opportunity to reduce the burden of liver disease in Europe and saving lives. Gut-derived endotoxemia and bacterial translocation play a central role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, and the development of cirrhosis and its complications. 

 

The academic-industrial consortium (CARBALIVE) has developed a novel strategy using macroporous carbons of tailored porosity which is a cheap and safe approach that has been shown to reduce bacterial translocation and/or its products.