Development Service of Biomarkers for NASH Diagnosis

Validated biomarkers are needed to assess disease activity and response to interventions in patients with NASH. Creative Biolabs can offer the customized biomarker development services aided by our advanced technique platforms and the most professional proposal for NASH non-invasive diagnosis.

The Current Progress in NASH Diagnosis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by lipid accumulation with evidence of cellular damage, inflammation, and varying degrees of scarring or fibrosis. The presence and extent of fibrosis are associated with NASH and are important factors in the prognosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NASH has emerged as a clinicopathological entity, and even now, a liver biopsy remains the gold standard for making a definitive diagnosis. However, considering the disease burden of NAFLD, liver biopsy in NAFLD/NASH patients has an increased risk for liver-related morbidity and mortality compared to patients with simple steatosis. Therefore, there has been increasing interest in identifying the possibility to assess liver damage through non-invasive surrogate markers that can be measured in peripheral blood.

Fig.1 A schema for diagnosing NAFLD and NASH. (Friedman, 2018)

Biomarkers of NASH

Biomarkers are diagnostic tools that can predict disease progression in an individual patient and/or identify the patients who are more likely to respond to a particular treatment. Therefore, biomarkers have the potential to accurately inform treatment decisions and improve disease outcomes. It is well known that when NASH progresses to the final stage, necrotic inflammatory changes and serum transaminase levels gradually decrease. Currently available biomarkers are not superior to serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in identifying NASH patients with poor sensitivity (< 50%).

The ideal biomarkers should be easy to measure, repeatable, inexpensive, and accurate, especially for distinguishing NASH from simple steatosis and predicting the risk of disease progression. Such biomarkers would not only aid clinicians in the identification of patients with NASH but also allow for noninvasive and frequent monitoring of disease progression and response to therapy. These biomarkers include indicators of hepatocyte apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation, as well as predictive models based on clinical variables. Furthermore, the biogenesis and composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs) have suggested that they might be also potential biomarkers for NASH diagnosis.

Emerging biomarker research in NAFLD and NASH will help pave the way for alternative noninvasive methodologies and potential therapies. Creative Biolabs provides non-invasive and reliable biomarkers development services for liver injury during NASH development. These biomarkers include but not limited to:

Creative Biolabs is specialized in antibody discovery and development and harbors extensive experience in antibody generation. Based on our comprehensive platforms (e.g. Phage Display & Antibody Library, Antibody Analysis, Antibody Engineering), we can provide one-stop services in the development of biomarkers for NASH diagnosis. As the research and diagnostic endeavors of our customers continue to evolve, so does our commitment to provide high-quality products and superior service. If you have any special needs in NASH services, please feel free to contact us for more details.

Reference

1. Friedman, S.L.; et al. Mechanisms of NAFLD development and therapeutic strategies. Nature medicine. 2018: 1.

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