FZL from NMU · iGEM 2026

HepaGuard : Engineered Probiotic for NASH

Oral · Smart · Safe · Affordable

Background

What is NAFLD?

Imagine our liver as a diligent "chemical plant". Normally, it contains only a small amount of fat (~5%). But if excessive energy intake occurs due to diet or inactivity, the liver starts storing extra fat. When fat exceeds 5%, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) develops — think of it as the "liver gaining weight". At this stage, it is usually reversible with lifestyle changes.

What is NASH?

If left unchecked, simple fatty liver can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The "itis" is key: it means the liver is not just fatty, but also inflamed and damaged. Imagine liver cells stressed by excess fat, leading to cell death and immune response — this is the fundamental difference between simple fatty liver and steatohepatitis.

NASH is the severe stage of NAFLD (MASLD).

China: 314.58M MASLD cases by 2030. NAFLD prevalence 30.4% (10-30% progress to NASH).

Pricing of the New Drug in the United States: $47,400 per year (approximately $4,200 per month); not yet approved for marketing in China.

"No specific drug, and new drugs are expensive—resmetirom is hardly prescribed. A brand-new solution is needed." – Prof. Jinlin Yang, Gastroenterology, West China Hospital

Solution

Oral

HepaGuard capsule, Lp-115 survives stomach (pH 3.0 >80%), colonizes gut.

Sense

Three-key AND logic gate: bile acid + FFA + TNF-α activate only in NASH.

Deliver

OMV "express delivery" targets liver, bypassing first-pass effect.

Produce

Bicistronic operon → T2 (THR-β agonist) & Fc-FGF21, synergistic 2:1 ratio.

Tech Highlights

Precise Sensing

Bile acid + FFA + TNF-α, activates only in NASH patients.

Dual Synergy

THR-β agonism + metabolic improvement, 50% liver fat reduction.

Smart Delivery

OMV encapsulation, 40% hepatic uptake, avoids first-pass.

Quadruple Safety

Auto-clearance 72h, combined failure <10⁻¹⁸.

Voices from the Frontline Clinicians

From West China Hospital

"MASLD currently relies on lifestyle intervention, no medication. Our focus shifted from NAFLD to NASH.
MAFLD is multi-factorial, single target is insufficient. HepaGuard's dual-drug synergy addresses this clinical pain point."
— Prof. Jinlin Yang, Director of Gastroenterology