AUSTIN, TX, and MALVERN, PA — In a promising development for Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics, Veravas, Inc. and Phanes Biotech have announced their collaboration to create a blood-based test for detecting Alzheimer’s disease tau pathology. This partnership aims to address the urgent need for early and accessible diagnostic solutions, leveraging Veravas’ VeraBIND™ technology and Phanes’ expertise in tau pathology.
The innovative test seeks to identify active Alzheimer’s disease by examining the interaction between hyperphosphorylated tau (HPT) and normal tau (nTau) proteins, a key indicator of the disease. This approach could potentially offer a simpler and more affordable alternative to traditional PET imaging, which is currently the most definitive method for diagnosing Alzheimer’s but is costly and not widely accessible.
Khalid Iqbal, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Phanes Biotech, expressed optimism about the collaboration. “Scientific discovery and therapeutic development in Alzheimer’s disease are surging, offering clinicians viable new opportunities to intervene early,” he stated. He emphasized that the combination of Veravas’ and Phanes’ technologies could result in a diagnostic tool that provides clear, accessible results early in the disease, potentially improving patient outcomes.
The need for such a test is underscored by the fact that while nearly seven million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a significant number of early-stage cases remain undetected. Tau pathology is a crucial marker for Alzheimer’s, predictive of disease progression. However, the current reliance on tau PET imaging is impractical for many due to its high costs and limited availability.
Josh Soldo, Chief Scientific Officer of Veravas, highlighted the potential impact of the new test. “Our technology has the potential to eliminate the uncertainties and accessibility hurdles of current Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics,” he said, noting the benefits for clinicians, patients, and researchers.
As the collaboration progresses, both companies are eager to complete clinical validation and move towards commercializing this laboratory-developed test. If successful, this initiative could mark a significant advancement in the early detection and management of Alzheimer’s disease, offering hope to patients and their families.
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