REGENERX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (NYSE Amex:RGN) announced today
that researchers have correlated Tβ4 levels with the clinical course of
patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver failure. It was reported
that serum thymosin β4 levels were significantly lower in patients with
chronic hepatitis B infection and that the magnitude of the reduction of
thymosin β4 was closely related to the severity of the hepatic injury
and to patient death. Since patients with higher Tβ4 levels survived the
disease, changes in Tβ4 values could reflect outcome in some liver
failure patients.
“The study
demonstrated that the thymosin β4 level was significantly lowered in
liver failure patients, suggesting that thymosin β4 might become a new
therapeutic agent for liver failure caused by chronic HBV infection”
Moreover, liver failure is a systemic inflammatory reaction, causing
severe deterioration in liver function, according to the research team.
Liver failure occurs when the extent of hepatocyte (liver cells) death
exceeds the liver’s regenerating capacity and recent findings have shown
that Tβ4 regulates certain molecules that play a role in preventing
hepatic cell death and promoting hepatic regeneration. Liver
regeneration is considered to be suppressed in liver failure. “The study
demonstrated that the thymosin β4 level was significantly lowered in
liver failure patients, suggesting that thymosin β4 might become a new
therapeutic agent for liver failure caused by chronic HBV infection,”
concluded the research team.
“This study is particularly important as it confirms and extends, in
humans, data published (Annals. N.Y.
Acad. Sci. 2007:1112:154-160) by Dr. Marcos Rojkind and his
colleagues at The George Washington University Medical Center showing
that Tβ4 up-regulates certain molecules known to play key roles in
stimulating liver regeneration. It also strongly suggests that observing
low levels of circulating Tβ4 in the blood may be a useful early warning
signal to identify HBV patients, and perhaps patients with HCV
infection, cirrhosis of the liver or other liver diseases, who are
heading into liver failure,” stated Dr. Allan L. Goldstein, Professor of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The George Washington University
School of Medicine, and chief scientific advisor to RegeneRx.
New MELD model improves liver transplant access for women