Q&A: ADVANCE trial could generate ‘multiple therapeutic targets’ for cirrhosis
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A $37 million study led by Newcastle University, University of Edinburgh and Boehringer Ingelheim is underway to address the “urgent need” for anti-scarring therapies for individuals with liver disease.
“Cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, is increasingly common worldwide,” Neil Henderson, FMedSci, study co-lead and chair and professor of tissue repair and regeneration at the University of Edinburgh, told Healio. “Currently, treatment options for patients with chronic liver disease are limited to removal of the underlying cause, if possible, or liver transplantation. However, demand for transplantation greatly outweighs donor organ supply.”
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He continued, “Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective anti-scarring therapies for patients with liver disease.”
According to an NHS Foundation Trust press release, the Accelerating Discovery: Actionable NASH Cirrhosis Endpoints (ADVANCE) study was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and will be the most extensive clinical study on liver cirrhosis to date.
Healio spoke with Henderson about how this critical research may affect understanding of liver disease and treatment of patients for years to come.
Healio: What is the goal of the study?
Henderson: To enable development of new, effective anti-scarring drugs, we need to increase our understanding of how the human liver scars. In this new study, we will use a cutting-edge approach called single-cell RNA sequencing, which allows us to precisely identify the key scar-forming cells and molecules in patients with liver disease.
This research will greatly advance our understanding of human liver scarring, generating multiple therapeutic targets to help treat patients with liver cirrhosis.
Healio: Can you describe the study design?
Henderson: The study will include 200 patients with cirrhosis, who will be recruited at specialist liver clinics at hospitals across the U.K. and Europe or through referral by their treating physician.
It will enroll patients who have been diagnosed with or are thought to be at risk for advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis due to fatty liver disease, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Participants will initially undergo a biopsy to collect a small sample of liver tissue so that detailed changes in gene expression in the liver can be assessed using advanced scientific techniques. They will then have blood tests and state-of-the-art MRI scans performed at regular time points over the next 2 years. The data generated will be combined to allow researchers to see how disease-related changes evolve in the body as cirrhosis progresses.
Reference:
- £30M study paves the way for new treatments for people with cirrhosis. https://www.newcastle-hospitals.nhs.uk/news/30m-study-paves-the-way-for-new-treatments-for-people-with-cirrhosis/. Published Jan. 10, 2024. Accessed Jan. 17, 2024.
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