Siemens Healthineers and Novo join forces to advance care for people living with MASLD and MASH

Siemens Healthineers and Novo have announced a collaboration focused on advancing care for people living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its progressive form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The companies are engaged in several projects to strengthen disease awareness, support earlier assessment of the disease, and help expand patient access to non-invasive blood testing.

MASLD is a metabolic condition that affects millions of people worldwide - nearly a quarter of U.S. adults – and is closely associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. MASLD has become the leading indication for liver transplant for women and healthcare costs associated with the disease are projected to surpass $635 billion by the end of the decade. Though MASLD is reversible if caught early, low disease awareness and its silent progression have led to many individuals remaining undiagnosed until significant liver damage occurs. In fact, people most at risk for MASLD remain largely unaware of the disease and its wider health risks.

"Too often, liver health flies under the radar," said Michele Zwickl, head of Laboratory Solutions for Siemens Healthineers North America. "People deserve the same level of awareness as for other major diseases, creating a better opportunity to intervene before serious complications develop." 

Supporting earlier assessment and wider access through non-invasive testing

Assessment of liver fibrosis has relied heavily on specialized imaging equipment or invasive procedures such as liver biopsy, which are not widely accessible to patients. Clinicians recognize that liver biopsy remains necessary for certain patients, though there is growing consensus about the critical role that non-invasive tests play in the management of MASLD/MASH.

As the global burden of metabolic disease rises, liver health experts are sounding the alarm about the importance of identifying the disease before it advances to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or other serious complications. The collaboration between Siemens Healthineers, a leading in vitro diagnostics company, and Novo, a global leader in cardiometabolic health, seeks to advance solutions that make MASH assessment more accessible and actionable across the healthcare continuum. This includes broader awareness and adoption of noninvasive testing (NIT) approaches that can provide clinicians with valuable information about liver health while helping reduce reliance on invasive procedures.

Among these approaches is a blood test from Siemens Healthineers. The Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF^®) test is the first and only blood test authorized in the United States to help clinicians assess risk of disease progression in patients with advanced fibrosis due to MASH and support patient management decisions. The simple test is available through major national laboratory providers and covered by a Category 1 CPT code (81517). Blood-based testing supports high patient demand and avoids failure rates and unreliable results reported for other non-invasive methods. For example, the ELF test results are not impacted by body composition characteristics such as BMI.

Earlier triage is one of the most important opportunities to improve the future of MASH care. Our collaboration recognizes that patients, clinicians, laboratories, health systems, and industry partners all have a role to play in creating a more effective pathway for liver disease assessment and management."

Michelle Long, senior international medical director for MASH, Novo