British patients are trialling a major new blood test for Alzheimer’s which could revolutionise diagnosis of the deadly condition.
People with suspected dementia are being recruited via memory clinics across the UK to check how well the test works in the NHS. Experts hope to have answers within three years.
The trial forms part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge, a multimillion-pound programme supported by Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the People’s Postcode Lottery.
A team led by University College London (UCL) is investigating whether the test, which measures the protein p-tau217, can improve the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
The test has already been shown to be effective in looking for the protein but researchers want to know whether giving it to patients near the start of an assessment for memory and thinking problems helps guide diagnosis and treatment.
The study will recruit 1,100 people from diverse geographic, ethnic and economic backgrounds, alongside those living with other health conditions to ensure the findings are relevant in a wide population.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and linked to the build-up of two key proteins in the brain called amyloid and tau.
P-tau217 is regarded as a promising biomarker which shows both amyloid and tau are present in the brain.
Experts believe blood tests such as plasma p-tau217 can detect these proteins as accurately as current – but more invasive – methods such as PET scans and lumbar punctures.
If shown to work in NHS practice, blood tests could be used as part of a wider assessment to confirm the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease for people who already have memory or thinking problems.
The Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis and Plasma pTau217 (Adapt) team behind the study is led by Professor Jonathan Schott and Dr Ashvini Keshavan.
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust began recruitment a few weeks ago and 19 more UK centres are expected to take part.
Half of people in the study will receive their blood test results within three months of being assessed for the first time in their memory service, while the other half will receive theirs after 12 months.
The team will establish whether providing results earlier helps speed up diagnosis, guides decisions about further investigations, and influences how both patients and doctors interpret and respond to the results.
The impact of blood test results on quality of life will also be measured.
Professor Schott, from UCL and chief medical officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are thrilled to welcome participants onto the Adapt trial – a critical part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge – which we hope will take us a step forward in revolutionising the way we diagnose dementia.
“After decades of research, we now have a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease that is backed by strong scientific evidence and provides comparable information to other gold-standard diagnostic tests such as PET scans and lumbar punctures yet is far more accessible, and cheaper.
“Currently only about 2% of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s have access to one of these gold-standard diagnostic tests.
“While identifying Alzheimer’s disease early and accurately is already important for enabling access to current therapies and planning care, it will become even more critical as a new generation of treatments emerge that can slow down the decline of memory and thinking.
“Timely diagnosis will be key to ensuring these advances reach the people who need them most.”
Professor Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Our recent Lived Experience Survey revealed that only a third of people with dementia felt their experience of the diagnosis process was positive, while many reported being afraid of receiving a diagnosis.
“As a result, too often, dementia is diagnosed late, limiting access to support, treatment and opportunities to plan ahead.”
In January, a research team from the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge – also part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge – announced they had begun using a different suite of tests on dementia patients.
This team is assessing multiple new and existing blood tests, looking at a range of dementia types including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies.