Amorfix Life Sciences, a company focused on treatments and diagnostics for misfolded protein diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), announced today the detection of the AD-associated aggregated Beta-amyloid (ABeta), the hallmark of AD, in the blood from the most-frequently-used animal model of AD. The assay detects both oligomeric and fibrillar aggregates of ABeta, which are generally considered to be the toxic forms and major contributors to brain dysfunction in AD.
"This milestone achievement represents the first time that aggregated ABeta has been measured in blood plasma from any animal model. This discovery provides an important new tool for understanding AD and will significantly accelerate the evaluation of novel treatments for the disease," said Dr. Neil Cashman, Chief Scientific Officer of Amorfix. "Our detection of aggregated ABeta in blood plasma demonstrates the superior sensitivity and specificity of the A(4) test and its utility for use with tissues and biofluids".
Dr. George Adams, Chief Executive Officer of Amorfix added, "We already have a number of prestigious academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies utilizing our commercial A(4) test for ABeta in brain, so the added capability of detecting ABeta in blood plasma will further entrench Amorfix as an emerging leader in preclinical AD diagnostics."