Alzheimer’s blood tests advance with biomarkers and Sydney rollout

A National Institutes of Health‑funded study identified circulating circular RNAs (circRNAs) in blood that predict progression to symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. Elevated levels of a set of 34 circRNAs more than tripled patients’ risk of developing symptoms and outperformed the leading pTau217 blood biomarker for forecasting onset two to four years in advance. "In a clinical setting, being able to identify patients on the verge of symptom onset would be invaluable," said Richard Hodes, director of the NIH National Institute on Aging.

In Australia, a new rapid Alzheimer’s blood test was launched at the Asia‑Pacific Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis in Sydney. Using automated Roche Diagnostics technology, the test can deliver results in as little as 18 minutes and measures pTau181, pTau217 and the ApoE4 genetic risk factor. Associate Professor Emma Devenney said the assay provides earlier, quicker diagnoses and could help position New South Wales as a national hub for dementia research and clinical trials.