C2N Diagnostics has secured a programme-related investment of $15m from the GHR Foundation to advance the development of a tau tangle pathology test for diagnosing and staging Alzheimer’s disease.
This test is aimed at enhancing the diagnosis of the disease by utilising tau-based blood biomarkers.
Tau tangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer's pathology, playing a significant role in the disease's clinical progression.
The tests, which serve as potential alternatives to invasive and expensive tau PET tracers, will leverage a combination of tau-based blood biomarkers, including MTBR-tau. These biomarkers are crucial in detecting pathological tau tangles and neurites associated with the disease.
The new tests are designed to not only aid in the differential diagnosis of clinical Alzheimer's disease in individuals with cognitive symptoms but also biologically stage the disease.
Furthermore, they are expected to contribute to the development of tau-directed therapeutics by offering insights into tau pathology.
C2N CEO Dr Joel Braunstein said: “Our innovative, precision medicine-focused work has already galvanised the science, the research, and the platform for developing and commercializing novel diagnostics. Now, we’re poised to add tests for tau-based blood biomarkers to our Alzheimer’s disease testing portfolio.
“The real benefit of this C2N-GHR collaboration will be seen by patients, families, and health systems currently impacted by the wrath of Alzheimer’s disease.”
C2N has previously addressed research and industry demand by releasing a cerebrospinal fluid test, for research use only, capable of measuring MTBR-tau.
This test has already indicated the potential benefits of blood-based biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease research and treatment.
Last month, C2N Diagnostics received up to $7.025m from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s Diagnostics Accelerator.
This funding is aimed at supporting C2N's Alzheimer's disease testing platform, underscoring the industry's commitment to advancing the diagnostics of the illness.
