GE Healthcare, Takeda Partner To Develop Treatments For Liver Diseases
By Cyndi Root
GE Healthcare and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company have partnered to develop treatments for liver diseases. The strategic alliance, announced in a press release, will target hepatic fibrosis, which plays a role in liver diseases. The two companies timed the announcement to coincide with the meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases in Boston, MA. The researchers intend to use GE’s MR elastography, a minimally invasive diagnostic technology, to test for the relative stiffness of liver tissues without a biopsy. Akihiko Kumagai, Chairman of GE Healthcare Japan, said, “Through this collaboration, our technologies will be of use in the development of treatments for the liver diseases that are of particular importance, not just in Asia, but worldwide.”
GE and Takeda Agreement
As part of the agreement, GE Healthcare will provide its diagnostic imaging technology to Takeda. The technology will aid Takeda as it assesses treatments for liver diseases. The two companies did not disclose the terms of the agreement. Takeda’s Tadataka Yamada, Chief Medical & Scientific Officer, also commented on the new partnership, “This alliance will assist efforts to develop new therapeutic options that ease the burden on the patient.”
MR Elastography
MR elastography generates images differentiated by color that define the stiffness or elasticity of tissues. In the diagnosis of liver disease, the technology shows promise in limiting the need for a biopsy. GE is also working on the method to examine other areas of the body, including the brain, blood vessels, and heart. Takeda will use the measurement data from the liver imaging studies to inform its research and development of therapeutics.
Liver Diseases
Liver disease is difficult to diagnose, as visible symptoms are usually absent. When the disease progresses, fibrosis hardens the liver, inflammation sets in, and cirrhosis of the liver worsens the symptoms. Due to the aging population and lifestyle choices, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a worsening problem. It is the number one cause of liver disease in developed countries - more than 100 million people – and is becoming more prevalent in the Middle East, Far East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Researchers at GE and Takeda hope to diagnose liver diseases earlier and develop drugs to treat them more effectively.