A new public-private partnership between AstraZeneca and NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) will focus on supporting the work of the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN). DILIN is a group working to bring together essential scientific and financial resources to better understand drug-induce liver injury as well as effective screening, diagnostic and treatment options.
Drug-induced liver injury, whether caused by prescription or non-prescription medication, is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States. It is the major reason for non-approval, withdrawal and limiting the prescribing of medications by the Food and Drug Administration.
Under the terms of the partnership, AstraZeneca will join other companies to provide funding for the project. AstraZeneca will also have a seat on a DILIN scientific board, a group convened by FNIH that includes representatives of all the partners in this endeavor, to provide expertise and input on scientific and technical matters. No details of the financial support were disclosed.