Alimentiv, AcelaBio and PharmaNest to harness AI to improve MASH trials
Alimentiv, AcelaBio and PharmaNest have teamed to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve trials focused on for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
The collaboration – financial terms of which were not disclosed – will develop digital pathology solutions for trials of candidate therapies for MASH, which is also known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
According to the firms the aim is to help sponsors quantify the effects of compounds and gain deeper insight into underlying mechanisms using spatial transcriptomics and AI-powered single-fiber and single-cell digital pathology.
Specifically, the plan is to improve the quality of histological endpoints required for the interim FDA approval of therapies in MASH and to facilitate the analysis of data sets, leading to a comprehensive understanding of the disease.
Clinical lab AcelaBio will carry out tissue sample analysis to generate whole slide images and molecular data according to company president, Niels Vande Casteele.
"Our collaboration holds great potential for the advancement of MASH clinical research to further the identification and quantification of digital pathology biomarker data and to enhance clinical development.”
Casteele predicted that "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."
For its part PharmaNest will provide high-resolution, single-fibre, and single-cell quantitative image analysis and AI-powered biomarkers from the same images reviewed by pathologists for critical endpoint assessments.
Alimentiv in its capacity as a gastroenterology-focused contract research organization (CRO) will guide trial design, operations and outcome assessment using its AI-powered digital pathology biomarker quantitation technology.
Wendy Teft VP of Precision Medicine at Alimentiv said "Through the integration of our respective technologies and expertise, we aim to empower clinical trial sponsors with the necessary tools to improve the quality of histological endpoints, uncover novel biomarkers, and accelerate drug development timelines.”
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