Among the 19 projects selected as part of the 6thTh As part of the “Hospital-University Research” wave of designation, Inserm will, among other things, lead LIVER TRACK, a promising program to develop predictive tests for liver diseases based on extracellular vesicle monitoring Biomarkers.
Coordinated by Professor Pierre-Emmanuel Rautou, hepatologist and member of the Center for Inflammation Research (Department Insert 1149 / Université Paris Cité), LIVER TRACK pursues a bold vision supported by the France 2030 investment plan and resulting from the government’s desire to support investment and innovation in several promising sectors, including medical research. Deciphering this project will ultimately make it possible to offer patients a personalized therapeutic approach.
Detecting liver complications early is a crucial issue
Cirrhosis is a disease characterized by chronic damage to the liver, leading to the destruction of its cells and the formation of fibrous scars, which gradually leads to the loss of function of this organ with several vital functions: blood purification, digestion, storage and transformation nutrientRelease of hormones…
This pathology, which is estimated to affect between 400,000 and 600,000 people in France, is considered silent: it often remains asymptomatic for long periods of time and can ultimately lead to two different types of complications:
- The 1Time includes a group of disorders that we call Decompensationwhich can cause digestive bleeding or a significant buildup of fluid in the abdomen, known as ascites, or brain disorders called hepatic encephalopathy;
- The 2nde is the Liver cancerwhich manifests itself through an aggressive and anarchic proliferation of malignant cells, statistically the 3rdTh deadliest cancer.
Early identification of individuals at risk of developing symptoms and complications related to this disease remains a significant public health issue, particularly since screening for liver disease is not yet widespread enough. And this is the heart of the LIVER TRACK project, winner of the Hospital-University Research Projects (RHU) 2023, as Pierre-Emmanuel Rautou explains to us: “ Identifying people at high risk of liver cancer will help replace the standard cancer screening of patients with ultrasound every six months with more efficient MRI scans twice a year. Likewise, with regard to decompensation testing, high-risk patients would not be cared for by a general practitioner or nurse, but would benefit from care by specialized hepatologists in hospital centers. »
Ultimately, the LIVER TRACK program will make it easier to provide affected patients with a more personalized approach to medicine, particularly by adjusting the frequency and type of follow-up visits.
Extracellular vesicles, a Biomarkers of interest
The implementation of these predictive tests is based on the use of technological tools that result from valuable collaborations between academic research and industry.
The pillar of this project? Extracellular vesicles, tiny cell fragments released from damaged cells in the body. In fact, the capture of these small “sacks” capable of transporting molecules outside the cells provides an indication of the location of the organs and tissues in pain, making it possible to identify the patients most at risk of cancer are. or decompensation.
The results of this program are validated in clinical trials involving more than 4,600 patients. The ultimate goal of LIVER TRACK will be to commercialize these tests, originally developed in a research laboratory, for integration into medical analysis laboratories.
To achieve this goal, Pierre-Emmanuel Rautou and his collaborators will work with two industrial partners:
- BioPredictivea French biopharmaceutical company specializing in the sale of evaluation tests Fibrosis liver through a simple blood test, and that plans to soon offer a new version that integrates these extracellular vesicles;
- AbbelightProvider of extremely powerful, high-resolution microscopes that can detect these tiny vesicles.
Promising prospects
LIVER TRACK brings together the participation of nine partners: Inserm, AP-HP, University of Paris Cité, University of Sorbonne Paris Nord, University of Tours, Institut Curie, the companies Biopredictive and Abbelight and the French Association of Liver Studies. This innovative project is positioned as an initiative that aims to revolutionize personalized medicine in liver cirrhosis. Strategic partnerships with industry strengthen the scope of the project by combining innovative diagnostic approaches with state-of-the-art technological tools and are expected to deliver significant medical-economic benefits.
For further
About France 2030
France 2030 is a 5-year national investment plan for the future, launched in 2021, aimed at accelerating the transformation of key sectors of our economy through innovation and positioning France not just as a player but as a leader in the world morning.
About “Hospital-University Research” (RHU) projects.
The Hospital-University Health Research (RHU) campaign aims to support health projects translational research in health or clinical research, which may be based on basic research in biology, epidemiology, social sciences or health economics. The RHU Action aims to expand this work to improve patient care, improve understanding of diseases, enable more effective and better tolerated treatments or improve the performance of health systems.
List of winners of the 6thTh Wave of the RHU project call
About the Center for Inflammation Research (CRI)
The CRI is the first European research center specializing in the study of inflammatory mechanisms. It is a joint research unit between Inserm, CNRS and the University of Paris Cité. It combines the strengths of 12 basic and clinical research teams on the topic of inflammation of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines and immune system.
