NEW YORK – Alimentiv, AcelaBio, and PharmaNest announced on Wednesday a collaboration to discover new biomarkers for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), previously known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Under the collaboration, the terms of which were not disclosed, AcelaBio will conduct tissue analysis to generate whole-slide images and molecular data at its San Diego-based CAP/CLIA-certified laboratory. PharmaNest will use its cloud-based FibroNest fibrosis quantification platform to provide high-resolution, single-fiber, and single-cell quantitative image analysis from images reviewed by pathologists for critical endpoint assessments.
Alimentiv is a London, Ontario-based contract research organization specializing in gastrointestinal disorders.
"Our expertise in endpoint assessments and precision medicine analyses, including bioinformatics and AI-powered digital pathology biomarker quantitation, positions us along with our collaborative partners to innovate and transform the landscape of MASH clinical trials," Wendy Teft, VP of precision medicine at Alimentiv, said in a statement.
The collaboration ultimately aims to use spatial biology to help clinical trial sponsors quantify the histological effects of potentially therapeutic compounds and better understand the underlying mechanisms of MASH-targeted therapies.
"By creating seamless workflows integrating advanced sample analysis, digital pathology, bioinformatics, and AI-powered analysis, we can unlock new opportunities to identify biomarker signatures within the spatial context of the tissue," said Niels Vande Casteele, president of AcelaBio.