Unlocking The Potential Of Plasma Biomarkers In CNS Trials For Alzheimer's Disease

By Olja Tanjga, MD, Senior Medical Director, IQVIA Biotech and Alistair Watt, Global Senior Director, Translational Science Laboratory, Q2 Solutions

In recent years, scientists have been exploring the use of plasma biomarkers as a non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease. This option may predict both pathological and clinical changes in those with underlying Alzheimer's, providing a less invasive and less costly way to identify patients who could be candidates for clinical trials or therapies.⁵

While still in early stages for identifying signs and progression of AD, plasma biomarkers show great promise. P-tau appears to have a high degree of accuracy in plasma for Alzheimer's disease and plasma Aβ measures also have potential. Less invasive and more affordable blood-based biomarker testing along with genetic, clinical and demographic information will likely play an important screening role in selecting individuals for more expensive and invasive biomarker testing.⁶