Innogenetics presents research results for first Alzheimer biomarker test in blood

14-06-2007: At the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference on Prevention of Dementia, Innogenetics presented research results with the first commercial blood test for beta-amyloid protein. Beta-amyloid is one of the potential biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. With this new test, the INNO-BIA plasma A forms, researchers can measure different forms of this Alzheimer biomarker from a simple blood sample. This could - in the long term and after further investigation - lead to improved and accelerated development of Alzheimer drugs and possibly to earlier diagnosis of the condition.

The degeneration of nerve cells and the abnormal accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins in the brain, are the most important pathological hallmarks of the disease. Beta-amyloid forms appear to be especially useful biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. Up to now, Alzheimer biomarkers were measured in cerebrospinal fluid, for which lumbar puncture is necessary. But the invasive nature of this procedure, has been a limiting factor for the widespread use of this approach.

Innogenetics has now developed a commercial test, the INNO-BIA plasma A forms, to track early markers of Alzheimer's in the blood. These markers are measured using xMAP® technology (Luminex Corp., Austin, TX). Research studies with 556 patients in Sweden and Germany have shown that the blood test yields important results. Apparently, patients presenting with early memory problems who are at higher risk for developing Alzheimer turn out to have significantly different levels of beta-amyloid forms in their blood compared to persons at lower risk to develop the disease.

Innogenetics now plans to accelerate plans for new performance evaluation studies with the new research test in order to obtain CE marking.