Academic Gala | The 8th International Forum on Drug-Induced Liver Injury Concludes Successfully; Ornithine Aspartate Recommended in the “Chinese Guidelines for Primary Care Diagnosis and Management of Drug-Induced Liver Injury (2024)”

On May 25, the “8th International Forum on Drug-Induced Liver Injury, the 9th National Academic Conference on Drug-Induced Liver Injury, and the Launch Ceremony of the ‘Chinese Guidelines for Primary Care Diagnosis and Management of Drug-Induced Liver Injury (2024)’” was grandly inaugurated on the picturesque Egret Island of Xiamen.

This conference is jointly hosted by the Technical Committee on Prevention and Treatment of Drug-Induced Liver Injury of the China Association for Medical Biotechnology, the Drug Hepatotoxicity Safety Committee of the China Primary Health Care Foundation, the Drug-Induced Liver Disease Group of the Liver Disease Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, the Committee on Supportive and Rehabilitation Oncology Treatment of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology, the Beijing Life Oasis Public Service Center, the China Health Promotion Foundation, and the Beijing All-Age Community Health Promotion Center, with support from the Liver Disease Specialty Branch of the Shanghai Medical Association. It is co-organized by the Liver Disease Branch of the Fujian Medical Association, Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Meng Chao Liver and Gallbladder Hospital of Fujian Medical University, and Fujian Provincial Tumor Hospital.

Following the grand opening ceremony, the academic forum sessions emerged as the highlight of this prestigious scholarly event. Renowned experts from both China and abroad took to the stage to share cutting-edge developments in their respective fields and their extensive clinical experience, delivering a truly remarkable intellectual feast for all attendees.

At the concluding session of the conference, the “Guidelines for Primary-Care Diagnosis and Management of Drug-Induced Liver Injury in China (2024)” were officially unveiled, witnessed by leading experts in the field, including Professors Liu Jingfeng, Zeng Yongyi, and Mao Yimin. These guidelines draw on the collective wisdom and extensive experience of numerous specialists in the field, providing invaluable reference and guidance for diagnostic and management practices in primary-care settings and playing a crucial role in enhancing the quality of primary healthcare services.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the drug-related adverse events and frequently results in hepatic damage in clinical practice. Its complexity stems from the wide variety of drugs, interindividual variability in response, the intricate interplay of pathogenic mechanisms and risk factors, and the lack of specific diagnostic methods. In recent years, significant advances have been made in DILI research, with several countries having issued or updated relevant clinical practice guidelines; China also released the “Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Drug-Induced Liver Injury” last year. Based on the latest research findings and evidence-based medicine, the guideline development panel has prepared this “Chinese Guidelines for Primary-Care Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management of Drug-Induced Liver Injury (2024),” drawing guidance from the “Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Drug-Induced Liver Injury (2023 Edition)” and the “Primary-Care Guidelines for Drug-Induced Liver Injury (2019).” Furthermore, ornithine aspartate is recommended for the treatment of DILI.

Based on its pharmacological actions, ornithine L-aspartate serves as a substrate for the synthesis of urea and glutamine. Glutamine is both a detoxification product of ammonia and its storage and transport form; under both physiological and pathological conditions, the synthesis of urea and glutamine is influenced by ornithine, L-aspartate, and other dicarboxylic compounds. Ornithine is intimately involved in the activation of the urea cycle and the entire process of ammonia detoxification. In this process, arginine is formed, which subsequently undergoes hydrolysis to release urea and regenerate ornithine. L-aspartate participates in nucleic acid synthesis within hepatocytes, thereby facilitating the repair of damaged liver cells. Furthermore, through its indirect promotion of tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism in hepatocytes, L-aspartate enhances intracellular energy production, enabling the restoration of various functions in injured liver cells.

Wuhan Qirui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., as a sponsor of this conference, brought its flagship products—Reigan® Injectable L-Ornithine L-Aspartate and Reigan® L-Ornithine L-Aspartate Granules—to the event. In addition, the company distributed free copies of the “Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Drug-Induced Liver Injury and Their Interpretation,” edited by Professor Mao Yimin, in an effort to increase awareness of DILI among attending experts through this book-giving initiative, thereby helping to deliver improved treatment options for patients with DILI and contributing the company’s expertise and resources.