- Strong global consensus on measurement and role of ammonia in Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE)
- Phase 2a results of YAQ007 (oral OPA) show ammonia reduction
- Utility of rifaximin in HE defined more narrowly
LONDON, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yaqrit, a late clinical-stage company developing life-saving treatments for advanced liver diseases, today announce three international clinical papers outlining key, market-moving shifts in scientific evidence and clinical practice in hepatic encephalopathy (HE). HE is brain dysfunction that occurs in patients with advanced liver disease and is associated with accumulation of the toxin, ammonia. Between them, the three papers reinforce Yaqrit’s strategy for the development of its novel HE treatments, as they approach late-stage clinical trials. YAQ006 and YAQ007, IV and oral formulations of OPA, an ammonia-scavenging agent, are preparing for further clinical studies later this year.
“Progress in advanced liver disease has to be contingent on generating evidence that moves consensus thinking beyond standard hypotheses,” said Rajiv Jalan, Founder and CMO of Yaqrit and an author on all three papers. “As specialist liver disease physicians turn routinely to measurements of blood ammonia as a diagnostic and prognostic marker, the importance of treatments such YAQ007 and YAQ006 that reduce ammonia directly may become more apparent.”
A Journal of Hepatology1 consensus paper represents a watershed in the clinical care of advanced liver disease. The paper was written under the auspices of the International Society for Hepatic Encephalopathy and Nitrogen Metabolism (ISHEN), which is a global organization focused on HE. The document makes it clear that there is now a clinical consensus (over 90% of a panel of 50 liver specialists involved in the Delphi process) recognizing use of patient blood ammonia levels as a key diagnostic and prognostic measurement in liver disease, and defining when samples should be taken and how they should be measured.
Concurrrently, a report in the journal Hepatology2 shows that treatment with Yaqrit’s YAQ007, the oral formulation of OPA, reduces blood ammonia levels in HE patients. This data, showing the direct reduction of ammonia levels from the exploratory Phase 2a trial (NCT03712280), supports Yaqrit’s decision to move YAQ007 to a phase 2b/3 trial in prevention of HE recurrence later this year. The company is also preparing to start a phase 3 trial this year of YAQ006, its IV OPA formulation, in the treatment of acute HE.
A third paper, a ‘viewpoint’ in Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology3 highlights a dilemma facing liver clinicians. The antibiotic rifaximin has clinically-proven utility in the prevention of recurrent HE but recent large-scale trials have challenged the view that it is a disease-modifying therapy in a broad range of liver diseases. Other evidence suggests that using the antibiotic may compromise patient outcomes through emergent antimicrobial resistance. The authors propose placing rifaximin within global antimicrobial stewardship frameworks and restricting its use to proven, narrrower indications, thereby preserving its effectiveness.
“Yaqrit is ahead of the game in recognizing the need for new treatments in advanced liver disease, particularly treatments that mobilize new mechanisms of action,” said Troels Jordansen, Chief Executive Officer of Yaqrit. “Unmet needs in conditions like HE are evolving not only with the aging population but also with increasing precision surrounding the effectiveness of conventionally-used drugs. Patients who already have few treatments options need therapies that go beyond the limitations of conventional remedies.”
- Ballester MP et al. Ammonia measurement in cirrhosis: International Delphi consensus recommendations from ISHEN. Journal of Hepatology, 2026 Mar 20:S0168-8278(26)00146-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2026.03.020
- Ballester MP et al. A randomized, open-label, Phase 2a study to assess the safety, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of YAQ007 versus rifaximin in cirrhosis. Hepatology, 2026, doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000001748
- Jalan R, Patel VC and Shoaie S. Rifaximin in cirrhosis: when therapeutic drift meets antimicrobial stewardship. Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2026, doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(26)00076-2
Contact Company
Troels Jordansen
Email: Troels@Yaqrit.com
Tel: +31 6 1834 5326
Contact Investors
Mary-Ann Chang
Email: Mary-Ann@Yaqrit.com
Tel: +44 7483 284 853
About Yaqrit
Yaqrit is a clinical-stage company discovering and developing innovative treatments for patients with advanced liver disease at high risk of hospitalization and death. Yaqrit’s pipeline includes three novel therapeutics at phase 2-3 of development and two medical devices providing acute and chronic treatments for advanced cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure where there is an urgent need for more effective treatments. More information is available at www.Yaqrit.com
About YAQ006 and YAQ007
YAQ006 and YAQ007 are, respectively, IV and oral formulations of ammonia scavenger L-ornithine phenylacetate (OPA). Clinical data (Rahimi, RS et al. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.10.019) show OPA reduces levels of toxic ammonia more rapidly than standard of care, facilitating resolution of hepatic encephalopathy, which is one of the most prevalent complications of advanced liver disease.
About Hepatic Encephalopathy
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a potentially reversible neurological dysfunction associated with excess ammonia in the blood. As many as 40% of decompensated cirrhosis patients are at risk of developing hepatic encephalopathy, with approximately 200,000 patients hospitalized in the US every year with acute episodes. The recurrence of hepatic encephalopathy is high: a second episode will follow the initial acute event within a year in 40-50% of patients.
