New Data Demonstrate Safety and Effectiveness of Bridge to Life's VitaSmart Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion (HOPE) System in Partial Graft Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Study presented in oral session at the 30^thAnnual Meeting of the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT), a section of The Transplantation Society (TTS)

Additional abstracts further support use of HOPE in pediatric liver transplantation

DULUTH, Ga., April 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridge to Life™ Ltd., a global innovator in organ preservation and perfusion technologies, today announced the use of Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion (HOPE), in conjunction with the VitaSmart™ System, has demonstrated a safe and feasible preservation strategy in pediatric liver transplantation. HOPE along with the VitaSmart™ System has the potential to become a standard of care, according to a new study presented today at the 30^th annual meeting of the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT), held in San Francisco, CA, April 24-26, 2026.

The results of the study, "Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion in the Use of Partial Grafts in Pediatric Liver Transplantation – Towards a New Standard of Care," were presented by Karla Estefanía, MD, Department of Pediatric Surgery and. Transplantation, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Birmingham, UK, in the session on Oral Abstract Presentations and Travel Awards.

"Our study with 17 pediatric liver recipients (12 split, 5 reduced) adds to the growing evidence supporting the ability of HOPE to improve donor liver quality in pediatric liver transplantation," commented Dr. Estefanía. "With death censored graft survival at 100%, no observed cases of primary non-function or early ischemic-type biliary lesions, and an estimated 27 percent reduction in cold ischemic times – critical for improving organ viability, graft function, and patient survival – HOPE can become a standard of care for partial graft utilization in pediatric liver transplantation."

"This study out of Birmingham Children's Hospital confirms previous studies in pediatric liver transplantation, even in partial liver grafts, and further demonstrates that HOPE with VitaSmart™ offers an important new tool for the transplantation community," commented Don Webber, CEO and President of Bridge to Life Ltd. "This is further evidenced by our ongoing commitment to increasing the supply of available livers for transplantation, potentially improving access for those in need."

Further Positive Clinical Evidence of HOPE in Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Two poster abstracts of studies by Francisco Hernandez-Oliveros, MD, et al, Department of Pediatric Surgery, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain, were also presented at SPLIT 2026 by Dr. Ane Miren Andrés Moreno.

"Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion: Standard of care in pediatric liver transplantation"

• Thirty-five cases were presented in both DBD and DCD, with both whole and reduced-sized grafts, and even with single-segment grafts and hepatorenal transplants. The study authors concluded that HOPE is a safe and effective strategy and has become standard of care in their program for suboptimal, reduced, and complex pediatric liver grafts.

"Auxiliary split-hope liver transplantation from a donation after circulatory death donor as treatment for pediatric acute liver failure: case report"

• The authors found DCD donation with normothermic regional perfusion followed by split-HOPE represents an organ source that enables auxiliary liver transplantation in critically ill pediatric patients with acute liver failure.

About Bridge to Life^™ Ltd

Bridge to Life^™ Ltd. is a global leader in organ preservation solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio that includes Belzer UW^®, EasiSlush^®, and the VitaSmart^™ Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion System. Bridge to Life partners with transplant centers and organ procurement organizations worldwide to advance preservation science and support life-saving transplantation.

For more information, visit www.bridgetolife.com.

SOURCE Bridge to Life, Ltd.