BRNI to develop skin test to detect Alzheimer’s
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The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute in Morgantown |
May 27, 2009 ·
The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute in Morgantown announced Wednesday a contract with a diagnostic manufacturing company to develop a skin test to detect early Alzheimer’s Disease.
It would be the first of its kind. Currently the only conclusive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease comes after an autopsy.
BRNI scientists have developed a simple test, requiring only a prick of the skin, to make that diagnosis.
"When we have a patient that has Alzheimer’s Disease, it’s not just affecting the brain, it’s also affecting the other parts of his body,” said Dr. Daniel Alkon, BRNI Scientific Director. “That’s why we can check something in the skin and have it mean something for what’s going on in the brain.”
"The earlier you can detect it, the more likelihood any therapy may make a difference,” he said.
BRNI’s manufacturing partner is Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. of Waltham, Massachusetts.
Inverness has research and development centers in Germany, England, Australia, Israel, California, Maine and Massachusetts.
“I’m absolutely delighted. Inverness scrutinizes the world for technologies to develop and they’ve chosen ours,” said Alkon.
Alkon says several clinical trials with volunteers will ultimately follow with the widespread availability of the skin test still 3 – 5 years away.