Utrecht, February 5, 2024 - MIMETAS, a global leader in organ-on-chip-based disease models, is playing a pivotal role in the GRIPonMASH initiative, a newly established consortium dedicated to transforming the detection and treatment of Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD). This condition, affecting 30% of the global population, progresses into an advanced stage known as MASH, where liver damage becomes more severe and treatment options are limited. The GRIPonMASH project aims to address this pressing health challenge through early detection and personalized treatment strategies.
With the support of the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU), the GRIPonMASH consortium unites 27 premier European institutions and companies in a collaborative effort to develop the GRIPonMASH Diagnostic Platform. The €26 million project seeks to create a sustainable diagnostic platform that provides comprehensive services, from screening and diagnosis to the management and long-term follow-up of high-risk patients. It will leverage artificial intelligence-based decision support tools for detecting MASH patients, develop non-invasive diagnostic alternatives, and personalize lifestyle advice to mitigate disease impact effectively.
MIMETAS’ contribution involves the discovery and validation of biomarkers using their cutting-edge liver-on-chip platform. This highly controlled and high-throughput screening platform enables the optimization of the isolation of liver specific extracellular vesicles and optimization of multi-OMICs biomarkers, thereby accelerating the discovery of new biomarkers and the validation of therapeutic targets for MASLD/MASH.
“We believe that by creating early detection and diagnosis of MASH, we can improve a lot of lives. Not just patients that go undiagnosed and only find out when it’s too late, but also healthcare professionals who can now focus on early treatment through proven lifestyle interventions”, said Prof. Dr. Manuel Castro Cabezas, scientific director and (together with Prof. Dr. D.E. (Rick) Grobbee) co-founder of GRIPonMASH.
Their vision underscores the transformative potential of the initiative to change the course of liver disease treatment and prevention, making a profound impact on public health.
