The UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) has announced an international research study, which is underway to assess whether a finger-prick blood test could help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease before the onset of symptoms.
The project forms part of the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation Bio-Hermes-002 study and is funded by LifeArc.
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These tests will be analysed by researchers at the UK DRI’s biomarker factory located at UCL, led by Professor Henrik Zetterberg.
The finger-prick blood test employs a plasma separation card, designed to reduce costs and simplify testing procedures. This card enables samples to be stored and shipped without refrigeration, allowing analysis at ambient temperature.
Current Alzheimer’s diagnostic methods such as lumbar punctures and advanced scans are typically expensive, invasive, and may be inaccessible in regions with limited healthcare resources.
Researchers will examine three established biomarkers linked to Alzheimer’s: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) neurofilament light polypeptide (NfL), and phosphorylated tau 217 (pTau217).
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By GlobalDataThe results will be compared to emerging diagnostic techniques, including blood-based markers, digital biomarkers, cognitive assessments, and positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
The study has enrolled 883 of the target 1,000 participants from 25 locations across Canada, the UK and the US.
Participants include cognitively normal individuals, those with mild cognitive impairment and individuals diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. More than 360 participants have completed the test so far.
While further validation is required before the test can be adopted by the National Health Service (NHS), the Bio-Hermes-002 study aims to assess the finger-prick-based approach in a large-scale, internationally diverse cohort.
Zetterberg said: “This study is unique in its size and scope, with 30% of volunteers being recruited from under-represented groups. Importantly, the results will be compared against current gold standard diagnostic techniques.
“If successful, being able to diagnose Alzheimer’s with a minimally invasive, cost-effective method will revolutionise diagnostics in this area and pave the way for improved diagnosis of all neurodegenerative conditions.”
