Latest news with #ElisabethThijssen
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Neurogen Biomarking Virtual Care Ecosystem Cuts Time to Alzheimer's Intervention by 4.5 Years, AAIC 2025 Presentation Findings Show
Elisabeth Thijssen Progress in validating in-home blood test, combined with cognitive assessment and specialty virtual care, break through barriers to early detection Key Takeaways Findings from breakthrough approach to early detection for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has the potential to reduce time from earliest development of symptoms to care by 4.5 years are presented at the AAIC 2025. Results show strong correlation between TASSO vs. traditional phlebotomist blood draw/capillary collection with the potential to successfully triage patients. New ecosystem brings together in-home biomarker testing and a cognitive assessment with virtual care to reduce multiple barriers to the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neurogen's online platform offering in-home blood testing for Alzheimer's disease for people with memory concerns is in beta test and readies for national launch – offers a potential solution to meet the urgent global demand for faster adoption and equitable access to breakthrough testing technologies for early detection of AD. CHICAGO, July 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advancements in accelerating early Alzheimer's disease screening and access to care proven from three diverse community pilot initiatives were presented today during a podium presentation at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® 2025 (AAIC). The study entitled, 'Remote Collection of Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders' was designed to validate Neurogen's new ecosystem that brings together the first in-home biomarker testing and a cognitive assessment with virtual care. Study findings suggest that the ecosystem has the potential to reduce the time from earliest development of symptoms to care by 4.5 years breaking down multiple barriers to early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The study also validated a strong correlation between TASSO vs. traditional phlebotomist blood draw/capillary collection suggesting TASSO's potential to successfully triage patients. 'We created a new model to reach those with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI),' said Elisabeth Thijssen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Neurogen Biomarking and the session presenter whose research focus for nearly a decade has been on blood-based biomarkers for AD and specifically P-tau217. 'Neurogen's ecosystem is built to meet the urgent global demand for faster adoption of breakthrough testing technologies for early detection of AD. Our mission is to give everyone equal access to cutting-edge technology to detect Alzheimer's early—when treatment can make the greatest impact on the course of people's lives.' The findings come from three free community events targeting people aged 50 years and older held at local hospitals in Chicago, Illinois; Flint, Michigan; and Coldwater, Michigan to sign up participants. Participants were recruited through community engagement, traditional and social media and mobilization of communications targeting area health and wellness organizations. About the Screenings Event participants began the screening with an advanced digital cognitive assessment and a brief lifestyle survey. Every participant did the traditional IV venous blood draw performed by a licensed professional. The TASSO, non-invasive method that allows for blood collection without the need for a needle was offered and optional. All samples were preserved through ambient shipment, maintaining integrity without the need for refrigeration or freezing. IV samples were analyzed using the ALZpath P-tau217 assay, a validated ultrasensitive biomarker test that closely correlates with Alzheimer's pathology. Testing was conducted in CLIA- and CAP-certified laboratories, ensuring clinical accuracy and regulatory compliance with results within days and a follow up via telehealth counseling with a board-certified neurologist if needed. Study Results A total of 455 participants received biomarker and digital cognitive testing: 66% were Women Average age was 67 45% were White/Caucasian 39% were Black/African American 16% did not report Among the 455 test participants, 26 percent had elevated P-tau217 concentrations Eighty percent had some form of cognitive impairment as is typical in this kind of event TASSO could identify elevated P-tau217 with 88% accuracy and meets the performance requirement for AD triaging in a broader population. Participants with elevated test results received follow up care via telehealth from board certified neurologists within days. The Neurogen ecosystem reduced the time from cognitive concerns to intervention by 4.5 years—changing the standard time from the emergence of cognitive concerns from years (3 to 6 years) to months (4 months to 1.5 years). 'In one-day events held in three different U.S. communities reaching people with no prior dementia diagnosis, we found 18 percent tested positive for P-tau217 and an additional eight percent were intermediate,' Dr. Thijssen stated. 'Bringing these people immediately into virtual care with a neurologist who shared the test results and provided a personalized brain health action care plan was heartening given the long wait time to see a specialist once a patient expresses memory concerns to their primary care physicians that is now typical in the US.' Neurogen's online ecosystem offers in-home testing for Alzheimer's disease for people with memory concerns and virtual follow up care with board-certified neurologists. It is now in beta test and readies for national launch. The Unmet Need: Access to Early Detection Testing for Alzheimer's An estimated 40% of Americans aged 65 and older—representing more than 16 million people—experience some form of memory impairment¹. Yet, fewer than 8% of older adults living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) ever receive a formal diagnosis, leaving 92% without answers or access to early intervention². On average, there is a staggering 6- to 8-year delay from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis—even though today's treatments are most effective when administered in the earliest stages of disease3. Further compounding the issue, fewer than one in five Alzheimer's diagnoses in the U.S. currently involve biomarker testing, due in large part to gaps in accessibility and clinical expertise³. These data underscore an urgent call to transform how Alzheimer's and cognitive decline are detected and managed—especially as the aging population grows and new diagnostic tools become available. About Neurogen Neurogen Biomarking is on a global mission to give everyone equitable access to brain health care. The company offers the first at-home blood biomarker test for phosphorylated (P-tau217) using proprietary blood collection technology and advanced digital cognitive testing with results guided by board-certified neurologists via telehealth. Neurogen's vision is to deliver accessible technology, actionable insights, and pathways to precision-based proactive care to support early detection and care for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neurogen was founded by award-winning neurologist Dr. Rany Aburashed and developed with co-founders Elisabeth Thijssen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, and Ken Bahk, Chief Strategy Officer. The company is guided by a team of world-renowned brain health experts Media Contacts:Reilly Connect for Neurogen - 3696 Citations Small, G.W. (2002). What we need to know about age-related memory loss. BMJ, 324(7352), 1502–1505. Liu, J. L., Hlavka, J. P., Coulter, D., Baxi, S. M., & Mattke, S. (2023).Barriers to the Use of Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers in Clinical Practice. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 15(1), Alzheimer's Association. (2023). 2023 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19(3), 159–258. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
19-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Neurogen Biomarking Announces Global Agreement with Quanterix for Use of Blood Biomarker Assay in its Patient-Initiated Blood Test to Support Early Detection of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease
CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Neurogen Biomarking, the world's first ecosystem for memory and thinking concerns announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement to use Quanterix Corporation's antibody technology to measure a specific blood biomarker that serves as an early indicator of dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quanterix Corporation is a company fueling scientific discovery through ultrasensitive biomarker detection. The agreement gives Neurogen Biomarking exclusive rights to commercialize Quanterix's ultrasensitive technology in direct-to-consumer testing in the United States, Europe, and pan-Asia. 'Neurogen Biomarking's agreement with Quanterix brings us one step closer to shifting the current standard of care paradigm for detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia due to Alzheimer's by giving people easier access to clinically validated blood biomarker technology,' said Dr. Rany Aburashed, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Neurogen Biomarking. 'Our driving force is to solve the issue of delayed detection and ultimately diagnosis by empowering patients in a responsible, scientifically and clinically controlled scalable ecosystem while also guiding them every step of the way in their brain health journey.' Neurogen Biomarking's care ecosystem includes an easy-to-use at-home blood biomarker collection test that can measure phosphorylated tau 217 (P-tau217), a specific marker for Alzheimer's disease pathology and MCI, using Quanterix's highly sensitive technology. The patient-initiated platform also provides streamlined telehealth appointments with board-certified neurologists, offering health education and a complete Brain Health Plan with actionable next steps for personalized care. 'It is Quanterix's ultrasensitive technology that made it possible to test for AD pathology in the blood. For over a decade, Quanterix has been a crucial player in this space, and we are very pleased that their cutting-edge technology is part of Neurogen Biomarking's ecosystem,' said Dr. Elisabeth Thijssen, Chief Scientific Officer, Neurogen Biomarking. 'There is a robust body of literature that shows that P-tau217 levels in blood correlate strongly with Alzheimer's disease pathology and disease progression, supporting its use as a reliable biomarker.' 1,2 Neurogen Biomarking's platform will be commercially available in early Q2 2025 for anyone eligible with memory and thinking challenges and for people concerned about symptoms that may be associated with AD. About Neurogen Biomarking An estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older were living with Alzheimer's dementia in 2024.3 Additionally, studies estimate that the prevalence of dementia and MCI is up to 22% of Americans over 65 which translates into approximately 13 million people.4 Studies reveal that MCI is underdiagnosed with average detection rates reportedly at 8% of people over 65. Patients with memory and thinking concerns often express them first to their primary care physician and then are referred to a neurologist. According to studies patients can wait from 45 to 50 months for appointment from the time they schedule an appointment with a primary care physician to seeing a neurologist.5 The current standard of care typically delays diagnosis of AD by many years which for some patients is too late for medical interventions. Neurogen Biomarking is dedicated to supporting early detection of Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Founded by award-winning neurologist, Dr. Rany Aburashed and guided by world-renowned brain health experts, Neurogen Biomarking is on a mission to empower anyone with thinking, memory and neurological concerns with the tools, education, and motivation needed to access advanced, personalized care. To learn more visit LinkedIn. Media Contacts: For Neurogen Biomarking -or- Susan Reilly Reilly Connect [email protected] References Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
