Liver fibrosis — the buildup of scar tissue that impairs organ function — has long been considered a one-way process. Now, London biotech Engitix and pharma giant GSK are collaborating to find biological mechanisms that could actually reverse that scarring. Engitix will use its extracellular matrix (ECM) platform, which studies the structural environment surrounding cells, to generate human tissue-based disease models. These models aim to identify drug targets linked to fibrosis regression — the healing process. GSK will have the option to license those targets and lead drug development. The deal is worth up to $219 million in total payments. This collaboration reflects a broader shift in drug discovery toward human tissue models, which may better predict what works in real patients than traditional lab methods.
