Echosens’ FibroScan(R) Expands its Application to NASH/NAFLD Patients

PARIS, FRANCE--(Marketwire - February 04, 2010) - NAFLD is the most common cause of liver disease worldwide. Determining a prognosis for this condition is today difficult as there are no clear predictors of which case NAFLD becomes NASH and then lead to some risks for patients.

Liver biopsy is the existing standard for diagnosis but difficult to perform just on suspicion.

To meet the urgent need for non invasive alternative two teams of experts from France (head by Pr de Ledinghen) and Hong Kong (head by Pr Wong(1)) demonstrate that the FibroScan® can be the revolutionary tool that the clinical practitioners dream of.

Pr Wong's publication concludes that liver stiffness is not affected by hepatic steatosis, necroinflammation or body mass index. It shows that FibroScan® seems to have a good accuracy to distinguish NASH patients into NAFLD population. Liver biopsy length is the only independent factor associated with discordance between FibroScan® and histology. Finally, FibroScan® performs significantly better than all studied blood markers (AST/ALT, APRI, FIB-4, NAFLD fibrosis score, BARD score) for both F3 and F4 on NAFLD patients.

In conclusion, the main value of the FibroScan® would be to exclude advanced fibrosis in NAFLD patients and provide clinicians with a better follow-up for at risk population or a better indication for biopsy.

Echosens: Partner for diagnostic solutions in Hepatology

A French company founded in 2001 in Paris, Echosens is an international SME specializing in the field of hepatology. The company developed and manufactures the FibroScan® device, based on VCTE™ "Vibration Controlled Transcient Elastography". Echosens has changed hepatologists' clinical practices by making available to them a new tool for diagnosis and follow-up of liver diseases. Echosens dedicates a significant part of its activity to Research in order to develop new medical devices and to open up new medical perspectives. The company works in close cooperation with health professionals and patients' associations to facilitate therapeutic follow up of patients. To date, 645 FibroScan® devices have been installed worldwide, including 157 in France. HAS (Health French Authority) validated the Fibroscan® for the diagnosis of HCV and HIV-HCV

For more information: www.echosens.com

Press kit available on demand.

(1) Wong et al. (2010). Hepatology 51(2), Diagnosis of fibrosis and cirrhosis using liver stiffness measurement in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease