Category: Blog

One of the biggest challenges in tackling the NAFLD/NASH epidemic is that there has traditionally been no easy non-invasive way to detect it in patients. This is a large reason why there are tens of millions of people in the United States alone that are impacted but do not even know it.

That has changed significantly in the last year as a company called Fibronastics has released widely a simple blood screening test that can be used to detect levels of steatosis, inflammation activity, and fibrosis. The LIVERFASt test uses a machine learning algorithm to examine 10 separate biomarkers from the blood draw and uses a scoring system to provide results which normally cannot be identified without a biopsy.

This means that physicians now have a powerful non-invasive tool to help screen for liver illnesses or gauge the severity of diagnosed liver conditions without biopsy (huge!). Fibronastics has recently announced a partnership with The American Liver Foundation to provide free LIVERFASt tests for individuals who qualify, and most insurance companies as well as Medicare will now cover the tests as well.

The accuracy of the test has been well established with medical studies going back to 2019 concluding that it is both “reliable and reproducible”. The scoring system is easy-to-understand and arms patients with clear & concise information to utilize over the course of their journey with liver disease.

As biopharma continues to search for effective medical treatments, LIVERFASt will become a critical tool in the early detection of NAFLD & NASH.

Many people living with Liver Disease have questions about the Covid-19 vaccine, including how effective it is and if there are any risks associated with it specifically related to Liver Disease. This article will attempt to summarize some of the publicly available information on vaccine efficacy and safety for those with Liver Disease. As always, you should consult with your doctor if you have specific questions or concerns.

Around this time last year there were a number of news articles declaring 2019 “The Year of NASH” . Four companies were due to release Phase 3 trial results. Optimism was surging and awareness was beginning to catch on. So how did 2019 turn out, and what does the outlook for NASH in 2020 look like?

A year later:

• Gilead had several Phase 3 studies end that failed to live up to expectations, eliminating Selonsertib as a serious treatment option
• Intercept released mixed results for Ocaliva, but is pushing ahead for FDA Approval. If granted, it would be the first approved NASH treatement. Decision on approval should come after April 2020.
• Abbvie (acquired Allergan) pushed their Phase 3 results for cenicriviroc from 2019 to late 2020.
• Genfit delayed Phase 3 elafibranor results to Q1 2020. It remains a promising undercard.

So while we didn’t get any truly amazing results for treatment in 2019, we did make progress. The 2nd International NASH Day helped reach people across the globe. Awareness has been steadily growing.

And while we have yet to hear from Genfit on their treatment data, they did recently announce tremendeous progress in their quest for a non-invasive diagnostic test. Using a unique 4-biomarker algorithm they have been able to accurately identify NASH and significant fibrosis. Genfit plans to file for FDA approval of the test in 2020.

A reliable non-invasive test for NASH is in some ways even more important than a medical treatment. The danger from NASH comes from years of undiagnosed progression, and we already know that the liver damage NASH can cause is reversible in earlier stages of the disease.

I recently posted my American Liver Foundation Advocacy video where I told Mom’s tragic story. Along with myself, several other patients currently living with various stages of NASH plus several medical professionals took part in the advocacy campaign.

The videos are now all available on the ALF Youtube page. Below are the embedded Youtube Playlists. Watch and share!