Siemens Healthineers has teamed up with the recently rebranded drugmaker Novo on a project to advance its blood test for hidden liver disease, in a bid to deliver earlier diagnoses and access to treatment.
Aimed at the category of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD — and its progressive stage, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, commonly known as MASH — the two companies will work together to build awareness of the conditions associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Siemens Healthineers first received an FDA de novo clearance for its Enhanced Liver Fibrosis test in 2021, following its use internationally for more than a decade prior. Running on its automated Atellica immunoassay machines, the company said it is still the only prognostic serum test authorized in the U.S. to help track MASH progression and support care decisions.
“Too often, liver health flies under the radar,” Michele Zwickl, laboratory solutions head for Siemens Healthineers North America, said in a statement. “People deserve the same level of awareness as for other major diseases, creating a better opportunity to intervene before serious complications develop.”
Novo, which officially dropped Nordisk from its name last week, picked up an accelerated approval in MASH from the FDA for its GLP-1 injection Wegovy in August 2025, covering patients with moderate to advanced fibrosis.
Assessing liver fibrosis and scarring typically relies on specialized imaging or an invasive biopsy procedure, which can be inaccurate and amount to a serious barrier to therapy. The companies estimate that MASLD affects nearly a quarter of adults in the U.S., and remains a leading cause of liver transplants despite the ability to treat it early.
“Earlier triage is one of the most important opportunities to improve the future of MASH care,” said Michelle Long, Novo’s senior international medical director for MASH. “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.”
The companies said blood-based testing has the potential to support high patient demand, while avoiding the potential complications seen with other screening methods, including lower accuracy tied to body characteristics such as BMI.
Novo previously partnered with fellow imaging giant GE HealthCare to develop ultrasound platforms for the treatment of diabetes and obesity.
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