The Glasgow-based firm has partnered with Advance Tests to market the first commercially available, blood biomarker test for the detection of early Alzheimer’s in Scotland.
Glasgow-based NeuroClin has partnered with diagnostic testing firm Advance Tests to bring to market Scotland’s first commercially available, blood biomarker test for the detection of early Alzheimer’s.
The test, developed by US Biotech innovators, Lucent Diagnostics, is already in widespread use across the US and is covered by the Medicare system.
Designed for people with symptoms of mild cognitive impairment, the test helps determine whether these symptoms are likely due to Alzheimer’s. It marks the first time a clinically validated blood test for Alzheimer’s is available in Scotland, outside of a research trial setting, and comes after recent widespread national coverage of NHS clinical trials exploring single-marker biomarker tests.
“We know that changes in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s begin years before symptoms appear,” said Jennifer Lynch, medical director at NeuroClin.
“This new blood biomarker test helps us detect potential Alzheimer’s earlier, giving people access to lifestyle advice and access to new disease-modifying treatments or research opportunities,” she added.
Public interest
YouGov research commissioned by Advance Tests shows strong public interest in accessing early diagnosis, but only if patients are aware that it’s possible. The survey found that 76% of people were either unaware, unsure, or didn’t think that rapid blood tests are available in the UK that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s in a matter of days. In contrast, 85% of respondents said they would want to be tested if effective treatment were available, highlighting a clear desire for early diagnosis if patients are made aware of the benefits.
There has been a flurry of advances in research and interest in Alzheimer’s so far this year.
Earlier this year, the government backed four new research projects with £6.7 million funding to focus on developing technologies to help dementia patients manage memory loss, communication difficulties and cope better with everyday tasks.
Elsewhere, research has also focused on early identification. A simple brainwave test developed by researchers at the University of Bath and University of Bristol has been shown to detect signs of memory impairment linked to Alzheimer’s disease years before clinical diagnosis is typically possible. At the same time, a study at UCL has been investigating whether a blood test that measures the protein p-tau217 can improve the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization pointed out that dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally and costs economies globally £960 billion in 2019.
Although one in three of us is likely to develop dementia – a figure that is probably accurate and rising with age – Laurence Geller, Britain’s largest philanthropic supporter of dementia care research, pointed out that just 20-25% of the funding that goes into cancer research is allocated to dementia.
“With newly approved drugs now available, and growing evidence that early lifestyle changes can delay progression, early diagnosis has never been more valuable. This is about giving people time – time to act, time to plan, and time to hope,” said Simon Worrell, founder and chief medical officer at Advance Tests.
