One example of the expanded technology platform is the introduction of the FIBROVIEW™ GATEWAY, which uses combined FibroScan scores to track liver disease and integrates the results back into the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).
Key drivers of company growth Pioneers in the field of elastography technology, Echosens is bringing the benefits of its full range of products and services to an even greater number of physicians throughout the world and supporting their assessment and management of patients with chronic liver disease. Several key factors will contribute to this growth trajectory:
Large pharmaceutical manufacturers and the drug industry worldwide are developing drugs to treat NAFLD. Echosens acknowledges the importance of these developments and recognizes the introduction of drugs over the next three years as a catalyst for even greater opportunities. With the attention and participation of the leading pharmcos, the spotlight on assessing, diagnosing and treating liver disease will pave the way for Echosens to drive even greater utilization. In fact, FibroScan is a key component of 90 percent of the clinical trial studies now underway, and this involvement in bringing drugs to market continues to grow.
Patient Population is growing rapidly. NAFLD affects 75 to 100 million adults in the United States and is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, fueled by the rising epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Many of these patients are unaware of their condition. The growing epidemic of NAFLD and its subtype non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a potentially progressive liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver cancer, liver transplantation and death, is sounding an alarm in every corner of the globe.
According to national statistics in the United Kingdom, liver diseases have been ranked as the fifth most common cause of death. In the United States, liver diseases are recognized as the second leading cause of mortality amongst all digestive diseases.
The good news is that Echosens brings technology solutions to patients facing the health consequences of chronic liver disease, which occurs throughout the world irrespective of age, sex, region or race. The American Liver Foundation estimates that in America alone, about 100 million Americans—over 30 percent of the U.S. population—have NAFLD. This documentation of prevalence calls for early detection of NAFLD and NASH.
