HistoIndex, a pioneer in AI-driven digital pathology solutions for chronic liver disease, has entered into a strategic partnership with Houston Research Institute (HRI), a leading clinical research organization specialising in hepatology and gastroenterology, with a strong focus on metabolic liver disease.

The collaboration marks an important expansion of HistoIndex’s network of commercial partnerships with hepatology and gastroenterology centres across the United States and Europe. Through the partnership, HistoIndex will provide advanced diagnostic testing services to patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), supporting more precise disease assessment and improved clinical decision-making.

Under the agreement, all four HRI sites—Houston Research Institute Pasadena, Houston Research Institute Sugar Land, Houston Research Institute, and Houston Research Institute Medical Center—will gain access to HistoIndex’s integrated diagnostic offering. This includes expert histopathological evaluation by experienced pathologists, combined with advanced AI-based analysis of liver biopsy samples.

In addition to standard-of-care histological assessment for steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis, HistoIndex will provide its proprietary AI-based diagnostic test, FibroSIGHT Plus. The solution delivers fully quantitative measurement of liver fibrosis in MASH biopsies, addressing limitations associated with conventional categorical scoring systems.

Dr. Yukti Choudhury, Chief Development Officer at HistoIndex, said the partnership represents a significant step in integrating quantitative, AI-enabled pathology into routine MASH clinical care. She noted that centralising traditional and AI-enhanced workflows enables faster turnaround times while maintaining consistent quality standards across all specimens.

Dr. Mazen Noureddin, MD, MHS, Director at Houston Research Institute and Co-Chairman of the Board at Summit and Pinnacle Clinical Research, said the collaboration enhances HRI’s ability to deliver advanced diagnostic services to patients with MASH. He added that combining expert histopathology with quantitative AI-based fibrosis analysis strengthens diagnostic accuracy and supports more informed clinical decision-making across HRI’s liver centres.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis is a progressive form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. While liver biopsy remains the diagnostic gold standard, conventional histological scoring systems have limitations in capturing disease heterogeneity. AI-based digital pathology tools are increasingly recognised as essential for improving disease severity assessment and evaluating treatment response in both clinical practice and drug development.

Founded in 2010, HistoIndex specialises in stain-free, fully automated imaging and AI-based analysis to visualise and quantify fibrosis in biological tissues, supporting improved disease monitoring and therapeutic evaluation.