Cognitact Launches PlasmarkAD Blood Test Service for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease

Cognitact Limited – a biotechnology start-up from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has launched the PlasmarkAD^TM blood test service for early detection and staging of Alzheimer’s disease, which will revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and ultimately benefit society. The launch of PlasmarkAD marks a new milestone in the transformation and commercialization of innovation and technology targeting Alzheimer’s.

Developed by a research team led by HKUST and licensed to Cognitact for further development and commercialization, the PlasmarkAD test provides a simple, non-invasive and accurate testing solution for Alzheimer’s disease through a single drop of blood. Leveraging cutting-edge blood protein biomarker detection technology and a self-developed machine learning algorithm, the test can detect the level changes of blood protein biomarkers, thus accurately distinguish patients with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment from cognitively normal people, and evaluate the instant status of different body systems for individuals.

In current daily practice, Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed clinically, mainly using medical history and cognitive tests. To aid in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, physicians could use brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid test to detect pathological changes in the brain, but these methods are either expensive or invasive, and frequently unavailable in certain regions or countries.

“Our PlasmarkAD test overcomes the above-mentioned limitations by allowing the general public to get a regular blood test for Alzheimer’s disease. This process is convenient, simple, and less invasive, making the early screening and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease more accessible,” said Dr. Fanny Ip, Chief Scientific Officer of Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (HKCeND) and Director of Cognitact.

The PlasmarkAD blood test can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease 5-10 years before clinical symptoms manifest with over 96% accuracy, and also monitor the progression of the disease over time. Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, can significantly assist clinical diagnosis and timely intervention, resulting in improved outcomes.

“We are proud to launch the PlasmarkAD blood test service, which represents a major step forward in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. We firmly believe that this will help better management of the disease and contribute to building a society that is more conducive to healthy aging,” added Dr. Ip.

The PlasmarkAD test service is now available to the public in designated medical centres in Hong Kong. For more information about the solution, please visit the Cognitact website.