A new trial has been launched which could see a finger prick blood test “revolutionise” the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, experts have said.
The simple procedure could be performed in GP surgeries and would be quick and cheap, replacing the current invasive and expensive methods of diagnosing the disease.
If trials are successful, experts believe it could “pave the way” for improved diagnosis of all neurodegenerative conditions and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s in its early stages.
At present, a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can only be given if people have a specialised brain scan or invasive spinal fluid tests.
The new test aims to pick up three proteins known to be associated with Alzheimer’s.
Some 883 of the 1,000 people needed for the new Bio-Hermes-002 trial have already been enrolled globally, including people from the UK, US and Canada.
More than 360 people from this group have already completed the test.
The trial includes people with no cognitive issues, those with mild cognitive impairment and some with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
The trial of the new test is being led by medical research organisation LifeArc and the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation, with support from the UK Dementia Research Institute.
LifeArc said the trial “aims to validate, in a large-scale, internationally diverse population” the finger-prick-based approach to identifying Alzheimer’s.
It also comes after other “breakthrough” research showed blood tests could help identify the early signs of Alzheimer’s.
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Professor Henrik Zetterberg, of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said: “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.”
Dr Giovanna Lalli, of LifeArc, said there had been “substantial progress” in developing ways to identify Alzheimer’s before symptoms emerge, but added: “Developing cheaper, scalable and more accessible tests is vital in the battle against this devastating condition.”
The trial is expected to end in 2028.
