£800k grant awarded to find undiagnosed liver disease patients in UK health system using precision medicine

Sano Genetics, a Cambridge-based company that accelerates precision medicine research, will work alongside Predictive Health Intelligence and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which have developed a novel approach to identify high-risk liver disease cases from common blood tests already present in NHS databases. The team will be collaborating with Tawazun Health, specialists in mobile non-invasive liver scanning technology.

By combining longitudinal biomarker analysis, non-invasive liver scanning, and non-invasive genetic testing, they will identify cases far earlier than existing approaches with a particular focus on early-onset and fast-progressing liver disease. Key to this project is that as many as 30 per cent of the adult population will have markers of fatty liver disease, so a highly selective approach to identifying those at risk of progression is needed.  

Identified at-risk patients will receive letters inviting them to be scanned, and to do an at-home DNA test using a simple kit supplied by Sano Genetics, which will also sequence their genetic data. Standard follow up treatment plans and counselling will be offered to patients, as well as free access to Sano’s patient engagement platform. Additional NHS Trust partners will be added and announced as the project progresses.  

Earlier diagnosis for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is urgent. These conditions – associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes, and which can lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis and liver cancer as well as a reduced life expectancy – are increasingly prevalent in the UK, with an estimated one in three adults affected. Liver disease is now the second leading cause of death among 35-49 year olds.  

However, NAFLD and NASH present late and are often asymptomatic, meaning patients may not be diagnosed until the disease has progressed to a more serious stage. This increases the complexity and cost of treatment, as well as reducing the effectiveness of interventions, forcing up the cost of treating liver disease, and putting a significant strain on NHS resources.  

Patrick Short, CEO and co-founder of Sano Genetics, said: “Around one in every three UK adults are estimated to be living with a form of liver disease, yet diagnosis and awareness of NAFLD or NASH is low. Furthermore, genomics research has shown that genes such as PNPLA3 contribute greatly to earlier-onset and faster-progressing liver disease, and integrating genetic data with routine blood scans and non-invasive liver scanning will help identify patients in this category sooner. This pioneering programme could change the way we diagnose and treat liver disease for good. By combining genomics, non-invasive liver scanning, and machine-learning technologies that already exist, we can save lives as well as cost to the NHS.”