A novel blood-based assay targeting brain-derived tau (BD-Tau) shows potential for improving the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Simoa BD-Tau assay (Quanterix), presented at the 2024 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) conference, accurately measured BD-Tau in serum and plasma, distinguishing AD from other neurodegenerative diseases.
The study, involving healthy controls, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and those with mild AD from the BioHermes cohort (NCT04733989), suggests the assay could be a valuable tool in both diagnostic and clinical trial settings. Mike Miller, PhD, chief operating officer at Quanterix Corporation, highlighted the assay's potential to enhance the evaluation of patients with AD.
Advancing Amyloid Classification
In a separate presentation at CTAD 2024, data on Quanterix’s Simoa LucentAD 217 test, used within a multi-marker logistic regression model, demonstrated high accuracy in amyloid classification. This model improved diagnostic certainty in over half of intermediate cases that could not be classified using p-Tau 217 alone. The findings suggest that the assay can assist in providing amyloid status certainty for a greater number of symptomatic patients undergoing assessment for AD.
Clinical Implications and Future Directions
The development of these blood-based biomarkers addresses the need for cost-effective and scalable diagnostic solutions for AD and other dementias. Current diagnostic methods often rely on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis or PET scans, which are invasive or expensive. Blood-based biomarkers offer a less invasive and more accessible alternative.
Miller noted the increased enthusiasm in the field due to the emergence of disease-modifying therapies. These new diagnostic tools could play a crucial role in identifying appropriate candidates for these therapies and monitoring treatment response. The Simoa BD-Tau assay and LucentAD 217 test represent significant steps forward in improving the accuracy and accessibility of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.
