We aim to develop a scalable patient specific bioprinted liver using ipscs

The Department of the Interior Departmental Offices awarded a $18.332 million cooperative agreement to the University of California, San Diego on September 25, 2025, under the Advanced Research Projects Agency for HEALTH (ARPA-H) program to develop a scalable, patient-specific bioprinted liver using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

The award funds development of a bioprinted liver tailored to a patient's unique anatomy and physiology without requiring donor tissue or immunosuppressants. Upon successful completion, the project will establish an on-demand source of functional liver tissues for patients with liver failure, reducing organ rejection risk and eliminating the need for immunosuppression. The work addresses the shortage of donor organs and the associated mortality on transplant waitlists.

The period of performance runs through September 24, 2028, with work performed in California. The cooperative agreement includes a sub-award of $2.346971 million to Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, Inc., dated November 6, 2025. The sub-recipient is responsible for completing Technical Area 1 (TA1) deliverables: identifying three cell sources meeting cost, availability, and expandability criteria; developing differentiation protocols for all liver cell types and safety and functional assays; and generating approximately 10 billion cells per organ with verification of cell purity above 90%, absence of tumorigenicity, and functional equivalence within 20 percent of primary cells. Allele will establish biobanks for bioprinting and ensure readiness for Technical Area 2.

This liverwill be tailored to a patients unique anatomy and physiology without the need for donor tissueor immunosup pressants ensuring longterm functionality and integration. Upon successfulcompletion of this project we will establish a reliable ondemand source of functional livertissues potentially saving the lives of thousands of patients in the U.S. Each year who eitherdie on the waitlist or become too sick for a liver transplant due to a shortage of donor organs.by leveraging ipscs the risk of organ rejection after implantation will be greatly reduced andthe need for immunosuppression eliminated significantly improving the quality and length oflife for patients with liver failure. This approach will also reduce the economic burdenassociated with liver transplantation and post operative care.