Watch this insightful webinar on tumor fibrosis, where we will explore the latest advancements in cancer research with leading experts in the field.
This webinar will provide a unique opportunity to hear from experts in the field and gain valuable insights into the latest advancements in tumor fibrosis research. Join us to learn about cutting-edge approaches to developing new therapeutic targets, and the use of biomarkers for patient stratification and evaluating treatment efficacy.
Tumor Fibrosis and Clinical Outcomes: Underlying Mechanisms – Dr. Saurabh Gupta
The Collagen Landscape in Cancer: Fibroblast Activities and New Biomarkers – Dr. Nicholas Willumsen
Unique and unexpected role of collagens in cancer – Dr. Raghu Kalluri
Question from the chat
Expert line-up
Dr. Raghu Kalluri (Professor and Chairman, Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center), is an expert in the cellular microenvironment and will discuss, among others, the unique and unexpected role of collagens in cancer.
Dr. Saurabh Gupta (Senior Director, Clinical Biomarkers Oncology, Precision Medicine), Bristol-Myers Squibb, is a clinical drug development and biomarker research expert and will provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of tumor fibrosis and the association with clinical outcomes.
Dr. Nicholas Willumsen (Director, Oncology, Nordic Bioscience), will focus on the development and validation of blood-based biomarkers to quantify tumor fibrosis in serum from cancer patients and discuss how this may inform on cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) activity and subtyping.
Get in touch
Are you interested in exploring collaboration possibilities? Enter your information in the form and a representative will contact you shortly.
We have highlighted some our publications that we and our collaborators worked on in the first quarter of 2024—in no particular order. We invite you to browse and read according to your interests!
Oncology
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is almost exclusively expressed in pathological conditions including multiple types of fibrosis and cancers, making it an optimal target for treatment.
Treatment strategies utilizing the unique proteolytic activity of FAP are emerging, thus emphasizing the importance of biomarkers to directly assess FAP activity.
CWe developed a non-invasive quantification tool for FAP-activity, specifically generated through FAP-mediated cleavage (C3F) for selection and monitoring of patients in FAP-related clinical trials.
Novel treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease are intensely sought; however, there is a dire lack of good biomarkers identifying the population with active disease progression, i.e. those in need of treatment.
We measured our Tau-A and Tau-C assays in a clinical cohort of patients with well-characterized Alzheimer’s Disease, and we observed that Tau-A was related to the CSF-levels of Aβ1-42, while Tau-C levels were indicative of fast progression, and as such identified a population of great interest.
We explored the involvement of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in various cardiomyopathies and its impact on myocardial stiffness and fibrosis. We also discussed the potential of ECM fragments for early diagnosis, prognosis, and risk stratification.
Cardiomyopathies constitute a diverse group of disorders characterized by fibrosis, ultimately leading to heart failure. Utilizing ECM biomarkers could enhance diagnosis and guide personalized therapies targeting fibrosis.
We investigated whether a degradation fragment of collagen type III (C3M) correlated with markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction and whether C3M was a risk marker for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD)in persons with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria.
Higher serum C3M is a risk marker for CKD progression and correlates with markers of inflammation in persons with type 2 diabetes. Moreover, a doubling of serum C3M was associated with CKD progression (with mortality as competing risk) after adjustment for conventional risk factors.
In our first rheumatology publication, we investigated M6495, a new drug targeting ADAMTS-5, in healthy volunteers and osteoarthritis patients.
M6495 was safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 300mg. It significantly reduced a key biomarker of cartilage breakdown, suggesting potential to slow disease progression.
In the second study explored a new biomarker for response to Tocilizumab, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Measuring type VI collagen degradation (C6M) identified patients who benefited more from the drug.
This approach has potential to personalize treatment and improve outcomes for RA patients.
In our third rheumatology publication, highlighted the need for better ways to classify osteoarthritis (OA). Current treatments only manage symptoms, and a deeper understanding of the disease is crucial.
We propose using a panel of biochemical markers to define different OA subtypes (endotypes).
We are changing people’s lives and making an impact!
“I hope this year will be as productive as last year! Congratulations to Team Nordic,” said Morten Karsdal, CEO of Nordic Bioscience, as we close out 2021 and head into 2022. “Thank you for your commitment and support to our mission: to change people’s lives through precision medicine and serological quantification of the extracellular matrix (ECM), enabled by high-precision instrumentation,” Morten Karsdal emphasized.
Nordic Bioscience has published a total of 59 publications in 2021, exclusively in peer-reviewed journals, with an average impact factor of 6.62, which shows the impact Nordic Bioscience scientists are leaving in the field. This means that quantity and quality go hand in hand, as an impact factor above 5 is a very good distinction. Even more, many of these 59 publications have an impact factor above 10 or even 20.
Nordic Bioscience’s research group is highly regarded in its field and a leader in extracellular matrix (ECM) science and quantification, proving that the company’s efforts are having an impact.
“When we visited customers in December during our normal pharma tour,” says Morten Karsdal, “I often heard how impressed our customers were with the interaction of our senior scientists and directors and the seamless coordination of the lab. “It is clear that we are all making a difference by trying to do things a little bit better every day,” the CEO added.
These successes are the culmination of a year-long team effort. The publications are based on data, and all data start with an idea for a biomarker. Assay development, assay production, assay validation, assay measurements, biobank samples, legal contracts, quality control, data reporting, and so on: all these pieces of the puzzle are required to produce publications that demonstrate value to patients and science.
Finally, the 3rd edition of Nordic Bioscience’s collagen book will be published in 2022, after the 2nd edition was downloaded 9000 times.
Get in touch
Are you interested in exploring collaboration possibilities? Enter your information in the form and a representative will contact you shortly.
Nordic Bioscience digest of the Best of 2022 publication series
In 2022, our scientific teams have once again worked incredibly hard to advance our technologies to better benefit patients in need. With more than 60 publications, we have published an average of more than 5 articles per month this year.
We have put together the best of 2022 for you from our various focal points—in no particular order. We invite you to browse and read according to your interests!
Respiratory
Novel treatments for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are needed to combat this devastating disease.
To investigate the antifibrotic effect of novel compounds and increase the chances of success in clinical trials, blood-based biomarkers may already be introduced at early stages of development.
Conventional serum calprotectin biomarkers are often not as clinically useful as the fecal versions because the short half-life of calprotectin in blood reduces the window in which the current serum calprotectin ELISA assay can detect calprotectin dimer protein.
CPa9-HNE ELISA has emerged as a novel serum calprotectin biomarker with significant clinical potential as a biomarker for patients with IBD to monitor disease activity and neutrophil activity.
Monitoring changes in the extracellular matrix during liver fibrosis is of great interest. Biomarkers to assess fibrogenesis already exist, but biomarkers of fibrosis resolution have not been validated.
These biomarkers would be equally valuable for understanding disease progression or the mechanism of a particular intervention, and for understanding the potential induction of hepatic fibrosis resolution.
Identification of biomarkers associated with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) disease and their potential as predictors of response to treatment are unmet needs in PsA.
The aim of the study was to investigate the association of serum levels of tissue turnover biomarkers with PsA disease phenotypes and response to Guselkumab treatment.
All agree that osteoarthritis (OA) is a heterogeneous disease – drugs in development fail because there is no approved way to segregate patients to give them targeted treatment.
Endotyping is necessary to understand the pathogenesis that drives the disease in individual patients. In the APPROACH consortium, we have measured biochemical markers that reflect the pathogenesis of different tissue compartments affected by the disease.
A persistent problem remains unresolved in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction – targeted treatment for highly heterogeneous patients.
This heterogeneity can be the cause of the lack of response to treatment in clinical trials, making it difficult for trials to succeed. The field needs better actionable biomarkers capable of finding the patients most in need of treatment – and that starts with PRO-C6.
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely lethal and fibrotic cancer disease. Novel tools such as biomarkers and preclinical models that can improve understanding of tumor fibrosis biology, drug development, and disease progression are urgently needed.
In this publication, we established a pseudo-3D in vitro pancreatic CAF model in combination with clinical collagen biomarkers (PRO-C3 and PRO-C6) as a translational screening tool for antifibrotic drugs.
Nordic Bioscience digest of the Best of 2023 publication series
2023 – a year of a series of scientific successes for Nordic! Our scientific teams have worked incredibly hard to advance our technologies to better benefit patients in need. With close to 60 publications, we averaged at least 5 articles per month – just like last year. We have put together the best of 2023 for you from our various focal points—in no particular order. We invite you to browse and read according to your interests!
New biomarkers are crucial for identifying fast-progressing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients. We evaluated the serological value of two vimentin neo-epitopes, VIM and VICM, in IPF.
While both originate from the same fragment, VIM measures vimentin degradation, and VICM reflects macrophage activity through citrullination. Notably, unlike VIM, VICM demonstrated significant prognostic value, effectively distinguishing fast-progressing from non-progressing IPF patients at diagnosis.
This paper highlights the potential of biomarkers to expedite drug development, emphasizing their role as early indicators for improved clinical response, enhanced patient safety, and personalized medicine.
We explore lessons learned by the EU IMI2-funded LITMUS consortium in their interactions with regulatory agencies, underscoring the significance of sharing such knowledge with the scientific community to increase the likelihood of qualifying relevant biomarkers and facilitating common understanding and support in decision-making frameworks.
This publication introduces a novel approach for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by identifying a “high-risk, high-fibrogenesis” patient endotype using collagen formation biomarkers.
Characterized by elevated fibroblast activity, this endotype responds well to a very low-calorie diet, showing a significant reduction in collagen fibrogenesis with weight loss. Quantifying fibrogenesis biomarkers allows predicting treatment response at baseline.
Skin tissue remodeling is vital for maintaining homeostasis but can be disrupted in conditions like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Type VI collagen is crucial for ECM assembly in human dermal fibroblasts.
Specific fragments of type VI collagen can serve as blood biomarkers for dermatological conditions. Quantifying the levels of type VI collagen inpatients with dermatological disorders could prove to be a valuable tool for both patient identification and drug development.
The pathogenesis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) involves tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced joint inflammation. However, choosing optimal treatments for axSpA in a timely and non-invasive manner remains a challenge in clinical practice.
Blood-based biomarkers present a cost-effective and accessible solution. Exploring ECM biomarkers as potential pharmaco-dynamic markers may aid in predicting and monitoring TNF-α inhibitor treatment responses in axSpA patients. This research also sheds light on the development of new effective therapeutic strategies.
Recent evidence suggests Empagliflozin may have anti-fibrotic effects, notably reducing type I and III collagen (PINP and PRO-C3). Lower levels of type VI collagen (PRO-C6) are associated with milder heart failure outcomes but increased risks of hospitalization, mortality, and renal complications.
Accurate assessment of extracellular matrix remodeling is crucial for precise heart failure patient endotype identification. Other studies reveal a 12.4% and 9.2% increase in cardiovascular or all-cause mortality risk per 1 ng/ml rise in PRO-C6.
Our study explores tumor collagen quantity and quality, emphasizing cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and their role in tumor fibrosis. We connect serological collagen biomarkers to specific CAF subtypes within the tumor microenvironment, building on our FDA-supported letter of support for the initial serological biomarker for tumor fibrosis.
The unique collagen profiles linked to CAF subtypes present potential avenues for discovering new cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
700 Publications and 25+ Years of Research – Lessons for Today’s Clinical Studies
We are excited to invite you to a unique session in the ECM Pharmacology Symposium series, featuring a special presentation by Dr. Morten Karsdal, the Chair of the ECM Pharmacology Congress. This webinar will take us on a journey through 25 years of groundbreaking research and over 700 publications, highlighting how these insights can be applied in today’s clinical studies to improve patient outcomes.
ECM remodeling is a fundamental driver of more than 50 chronic diseases, contributing to over 35% of deaths in the Western world. To restore organ function, we must understand and quantify ECM turnover—a crucial step in advancing patient care.
In this webinar, Dr. Karsdal will highlight the most influential findings from global collaborations and his own research, focusing on the balance between tissue formation and degradation in both healthy and diseased organs. With three letters of support from the FDA over the past three years emphasizing ECM biomarkers, this session will showcase real-world applications of ECM modeling in patient treatment.
Dr. Karsdal will share key findings from his own research and collaborations, highlighting how the structure of healthy organs changes when affected by disease. By examining the balance between tissue formation and degradation, we gain crucial insights into the progression of chronic diseases. The common mechanisms of ECM turnover in the lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, skin, joints, and intestines also apply to solid tumors, making ECM modulation a critical factor in treatment strategies. With FDA letters of support emphasizing ECM biomarkers and turnover, this session will showcase compelling real-world examples of how controlling ECM remodeling can directly benefit patients.
Scientific topics
We prepared nine key topics of the most prominent ECM research of the past 25+ years that you can apply in today’s clinical research.
These topics will explore how ECM remodeling influences disease progression, the role of biomarkers in precision medicine, and the impact of targeted interventions across multiple chronic conditions.
1. The central role of ECM remodeling in over 50 diseases
Diagnostic, prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarkers of pathological remodeling of the basement membrane and interstitial ECM
Which pathologies are tissue formation or tissue destruction disorders?
How may we use that to improve clinical study design and patient segregation – Key lessons learn from 25 years of biomarker research
2. Collagen formation outperforms liver biopsies in predicting outcome
Collagen formation provides independent prognostic information in addition to the biopsies
The difference between disease status and activity
3. Linking human genetic mutations to skin diseases
Human genetic mutations linked to collagen type 6, 7 and 17 in systemic sclerocis (SSC), hidradenitis suppurutiva (HS), and atopic dermatitis (AD).
4. Doubling of response rates in solid tumors by serological assessment
Doubling of response rates in solid tumors by serological assessment of type 3,5,8,11 and 12 collagens
The myCAF collagens
5. The collagen hormone Endotrophin & the cardio-renal axis in the metabolic syndrome
Understanding the organ death trajectory in obesity/metabolic syndrome of the heart, kidney and liver
Endotrophin predicts outcome in CKD and HFpEF
Understanding fibroblast activities as the central common denominator for outcomes
6. Endotyping fibrostenosis with genetically validated biomarkers
Deconstructing IBD endotypes with human genetically validated biomarkers & biomarkers related to endoscopy scores and remission
7. Quantifying tissue destruction in auto-immune disorders
We need to stop tissue destruction to be efficacious and reach ACR100 scores
8. Respiratory diseases in COPD and IPF
Linking endotypes with disease trajectories that are treatable and actionable in drug development
Elastin and collagen degradation/formation are prognostic for exacerbations, decline of lung function and death
9. Identification of treatable and druggable endotypes in osteoarthritis
The difference between an illness and disease
Providing better drug development paths for selected treatments.
Dr. Morten Karsdal
Dr. Morten Karsdal joined Nordic Bioscience in 2001 and became CEO in June 2010, leading the company to significant advancements in biomarker development and disease biology.
Dr. Karsdal is a KOL in extracellular matrix research, with more than 700 publication and an impressive H-factor of 100.
Dr. Karsdal is an honorary professor of inflammation research at the University of Southern Denmark, where he continues to supervise PhD students, fostering the next generation of researchers.
Dr. Karsdal chairs the Extracellular Matrix Pharmacology Congress, an important forum for advancing drug development by focusing on the extracellular matrix (ECM) as a key factor in most chronic diseases. He is renowned for his deep expertise in fibrosis, rheumatology (including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), diabetes, and other chronic conditions, particularly in relation to ECM and biomarker research.
Dr. Karsdal has led the development of FDA-approved and supported molecular diagnostics, as well as more than 100 commercialized biomarker assays, including ELISA assays and high precision automated platforms.
He has extensive experience in clinical trial design and the clinical application of biochemical markers, often serving as a consultant to major pharmaceutical companies for the use of serological biomarkers in clinical trials.
In 2016, he and his research team authored the first edition of “Biochemistry of Collagens, Laminins and Elastin,” published by Elsevier Science. The book, now in its 3rd edition as of 2023, is a key resource on collagens and structural proteins, with a focus on their applications in chronic diseases.
We are also excited to inform you about our upcoming in-person event, The Extracellular Matrix Pharmacology Congress, taking place in Copenhagen in June 2026. This congress will be a unique opportunity to gather with leading experts in the field and explore the latest advancements in extracellular matrix research and pharmacology.
Please stay tuned for updates as we prepare to bring you another engaging and educational webinar experience. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to connecting with you soon!
Get in touch
Are you interested in exploring collaboration possibilities? Enter your information in the form and a representative will contact you shortly.
September is pulmonary fibrosis (PF) awareness month—a progressive lung disease that affects over 200,000 people in the United States alone. PF causes scarring of lung tissue, leading to severe breathing difficulties and reduced quality of life.
At Nordic Bioscience, we are dedicated to advancing the development of biomarkers that provide deeper insights into disease progression in pulmonary fibrosis. Together with our collaborators, we contributed to the Lancet publication: “Cluster analysis of blood biomarkers to identify molecular patterns in pulmonary fibrosis: assessment of a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort with independent validation.”
This research represents a step forward in identifying endotypes that can help improve the monitoring of the disease and guided therapy, ultimately enhancing patient care.
We hope our findings encourage continued research and collaboration, working together to make a lasting impact!
