In order to ensure the best management of patients with chronic liver disease, BioPredictive has developed a new generation of tests known as SteatoTest, NashTest, and AshTest. Used to supplement information from the well-known FibroTest-HCV FibroSURE™, they are all combined in a "super biomarker" called FibroMAX.  With a simple blood sample, these brand new diagnostic tests give not only an estimate of fibrosis but also information on its associated or worsening factors.

The first test launched by BioPredictive, FibroTest-HCV-FibroSURE™, was initially used in chronic hepatitis C. It was thereafter validated in chronic hepatitis B, Delta, hepatitis/HIV co-infection, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic liver disease with associated steatosis and for pediatric use, making FibroTest a universal marker of liver fibrosis. ActiTest is the only marketed non-invasive biomarker of necro-inflammatory activity. It is used only in chronic viral hepatitis (B and C) patients. 

In order to improve this diagnostic tool, three new simple tests were developed to provide an estimate of the associated or worsening factors of fibrosis:  liver steatosis (SteatoTest), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NashTest) and alcoholic steatohepatitis (AshTest). 

Like FibroTest, SteatoTest is designed for patients with chronic liver disease:  viral hepatitis B and C, nonalcoholic steatosis (overweight, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia or diabetes mellitus) and alcoholic steatosis.  NashTest is intended only for patients with nonalcoholic steatosis and makes it possible to detect the presence of probable nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).  AshTest is only for patients with excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholic steatosis and is used to detect the presence of severe alcoholic steatohepatitis. 

These new tests each combine 6 to 12 biomarkers in several patented expert algorithms. The biomarkers include the six components of FibroTest-ActiTest (alpha2-macroglobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1, GGT, total bilirubin, ALT), AST, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and the weight, height, age and sex of the patient. 

The early detection of hepatic fibrosis and its worsening associated factors is essential, because there are now effective treatments which make it possible to prevent the occurrence of cirrhosis and thereby its complications (liver cancer, digestive hemorrhage and hepatic insufficiency. 

BioPredictive has launched FibroMAX, a rapid method of concomitant calculation of all these fibrosis-related tests in a single procedure This provides physicians with simultaneous FibroTest and SteatoTest results on the same sheet  and, according to the risk factors, also provides the results of ActiTest for chronic B and C hepatitis, NashTest for nonalcoholic steatosis and AshTest for alcoholic steatosis.