Fulminant and late-onset hepatic failure (LOHF) is intractable disease with high degree of fatality (70-80%). Only liver transplantation is established as a therapeutic modality to rescue patients with fulminant hepatic failure or LOHF. However, approximately 75% of the patients are not able to receive liver transplantation in Japan, and effective non-surgical treatment has not been established yet. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of major agents stimulating liver regeneration and ameliorating hepatic injury.~In this study, recombinant human HGF is administered to patients with fulminant hepatic failure or LOHF, who can not receive liver transplantation.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor is safe and effective in the treatment of fulminant and late-onset hepatic failure.