Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the most severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in which fat accumulates in the liver causing inflammation, scarring, and other damage. Weight reduction, exercise, cholesterol reduction, and diabetes care can reduce the impact of NASH, but no medications have been approved to treat or reverse the disease 1. Left untreated, NASH can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer, as well as an increased incidence of and fatality from cardiovascular disease 2 3.
Around 3-12% of adults in the United States have NASH currently 4. Globally, the NASH drug treatment market is expected to exceed $61 billion (USD) by 2028, with a CAGR of 39.4% over the preceding decade 5.
1
NIDDK website
2 Azzam H, Malnick S. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease—the heart of the matter. World Journal of Hepatology. 2015;7(10)1369–1376.
3 Chalasani N, Younossi Z, Lavine JE, et al. The diagnosis and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: practice guideline by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Gastroenterology, and the American Gastroenterological Association. Hepatology. 2012;55(6):2005–2023.
4 Spengler EK, Loomba R. Recommendations for diagnosis, referral for liver biopsy, and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2015;90(9):1233–1246.
5
ResearchAndMarkets
Problems With Current Treatment

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No Effective Existing Treatments
Although 3-12% of people in the United States have NASH, with worsening needs and outcomes, no treatments are available.

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Combination Treatments Likely
Current single treatments have proved ineffective in treating NASH, whereas combinations of treatments show promise.

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Dosing is Complex
All products currently in development require frequent administration, leading patients to likely have similar adherence issues as those with Type II Diabetes (rates hover around 56% at best for second line treatments) 1.
How We Solve It
Implants Enable Simple GLP-1 Treatment Addition
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Freedom from complex dosing
For patients already taking daily pills, a simple implant in the doctor’s office avoids the additional burden of weekly injections.
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Extended duration
NanoPortal is being designed to last for durations of 4 months to 1 year.
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Ensured compliance
Implantation ensures continuous dosing for the duration of the treatment.