Shots:
- At this year’s European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress in Amsterdam, Gilead shared new data and 29 abstracts, including three oral presentations. But the data wasn’t the only thing that got people talking about Gilead’s commitment to transforming the lives of people living with liver conditions
- EASL saw the launch of a unique campaign designed to bring disease awareness through art and shift the conversation around primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), called All the Feelings with PBC
- PharmaShots caught up with Catherine Frenette, Executive Director, Global Medical Affairs, Liver, Inflammation, Respiratory and Emerging Viruses, and Established Products, to reflect on key takeaways from EASL 2025, and how science, storytelling and art can come together to elevate the lived experiences of people with chronic liver disease
Saurabh: To start, can you tell us about primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and why a campaign like this is needed?
Catherine: PBC is a chronic, autoimmune liver disease that gradually destroys the bile ducts, leading to inflammation, scarring, cirrhosis and/or liver failure over time. It’s a progressive condition, and for many people living with it, the journey can be incredibly challenging – not just physically, but emotionally and socially as well.
The most common symptoms, like fatigue and chronic itching, are invisible to others, making it hard for people to explain what they’re going through. This often leads to people living with PBC feeling isolated or misunderstood both by their family and friends and healthcare providers. As scientists and clinicians, we sometimes focus heavily on data points and forget that people are navigating unseen challenges every day, often in silence. That’s why there is an urgent need to raise awareness, foster empathy, and help make the unseen struggles of PBC visible, to ensure we are not just treating the disease, but supporting the person living with it.
So, we asked ourselves: how can we make these experiences more visible – not just clinically, but emotionally?
And that was the spark for ‘All the Feelings with PBC.’ We wanted to create something that would open the door to new conversations – something human and emotionally resonant. And art was the perfect medium to do that. It allowed us to take the rich insights we’ve gathered from the PBC community and express them in a way that moves people and prompts reflection. Because when you can feel what someone is going through, you’re more likely to act on it.
Saurabh: What did the All the Feelings campaign launch look like at EASL?
Catherine: We partnered with Berlin-based artist and architect Nour Khwies, who translated the experiences of four women living with PBC into an emotional and striking series of paintings. Her work explores the unseen symptoms of PBC and is a reflection of these women’s journeys, from the uncertainty surrounding diagnosis through to PBC’s impact on their daily lives.
Nour live-painted a new piece during the congress, which became a powerful focal point for attendees. Filmmaker Jay Weneta captured both her creative process and the personal stories that inspired each piece which will be developed into a short cinematic film later in the year. It was a multi-sensory way of saying, “these symptoms are real, and they need to be acknowledged”.
Saurabh: What were the reactions of people who viewed the paintings at EASL?
Catherine: We had some incredible conversations at the exhibit with doctors from around the globe and patient advocacy representatives. One doctor saying ‘When I’m next in my practice and someone comes in with PBC, I will remember this painting” which we hope we will spark more conversations around the emotional impact of living with PBC alongside clinical conversations.
Separate to the exhibit, we also hosted a gathering of patient advocates from around the world, where we focused on how to turn awareness into action; how to better equip healthcare providers to identify and respond to the emotional and physical burden of PBC, and how to make sure those living with the condition feel heard and supported.
By leveraging learnings from these conversations, we look forward to continuing to drive solutions that reflect the needs and experiences of those living PBC.
Saurabh: What’s the message you hope people take with them, now that EASL has wrapped?
Catherine: It was a real pleasure to be at EASL this year and I’m already excited for next year’s congress! There was such a strong sense of energy and collaboration across the scientific and medical communities. From the sheer volume of data presented to the meaningful conversations happening in every corner of the congress; it was inspiring to be part of it.
As for what I hope people take away, it’s that insight must lead to action. Awareness of symptoms is important, and people living with PBC really need more holistic support; through earlier symptom recognition, more empathetic conversations, and access to care that considers their day-to-day realities.
About the Author:
Catherine Frenette
MD, FAST, AGAF, FAASLD
Dr. Catherine Frenette is the Executive Director in Global Medical Affairs for Liver Disease, Inflammation, Respiratory and Emerging Viruses, and Established Products at Gilead Sciences. She trained in transplant hepatology and gastroenterology and has held leadership roles in liver transplant and cancer programs at Scripps. In her clinical practice she treated many patients with primary biliary cholangitis and other liver diseases. In 2022, she joined Gilead to further the science of liver disease. She has published over 75 articles on various topics in the field of liver disease.
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