AstraZeneca, NIDDK partnership to support Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network

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.  

"AstraZeneca is keen to support this important project to help the industry and the medical community better understand and mitigate the risks of liver damage associated with the use of some medicines," said Joachim Forsgren, VP and Global Head of Patient Safety at AstraZeneca.  "The safety of patients who need drugs to treat many different kinds of conditions and illnesses is paramount in both developing new medicines and safely and effectively using products currently on the market. We want to play our part in furthering this critical work, which will provide valuable insight to all those engaged in the research and development of drugs."

"We welcome the support of AstraZeneca's underlying commitment to work with the Foundation for NIH, and NIH, as we pursue advances in research and potential treatment options for drug-induced liver injury. Bringing together a team of experts in a collaborative environment is essential to this project's overall success," said Foundation for NIH Chairman, Charles A. Sanders, M.D.  

NIDDK launched the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network in 2004 to address this increasingly frequent health problem, The network gathers clinical information and biological specimens in cases of suspected liver injury due to drug and/or herbal remedy use and promotes research on the underlying causes, means of prevention, and approaches to management and therapy.