Company's AD-Detect™ Portfolio Offers AB 42/40
and Other Plasma Biomarker Testing, Alongside Traditional
Cerebrospinal Fluid and Genetic Tests, to Provide Robust Offering
in Brain Health
SECAUCUS, N.J., April 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:
DGX), a leader in diagnostic information services, today announced
the launch of a new blood biomarker test for phosphorylated tau
217, or p-tau217. P-tau217 is a biomarker associated with
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), supported by research as useful for an
early diagnosis of AD.
The test is the latest addition to the AD-Detect™ portfolio of
blood tests for assessing the risk of Alzheimer's Disease, which
also includes testing for an array of AD biomarkers, including
p-tau181 and amyloid beta (AB) proteins, as well as Apolipoprotein
E (ApoE) isoform and plasma testing, for patients with cognitive
impairment. With a physician's test order, patients may provide a
blood draw for testing from any of Quest's 2,000 patient service
centers in the United States. The
test is expected to be available for ordering on April 26, 2024.
Quest Diagnostics continually seeks to expand access for
patients and providers to innovations in the field of dementia,
including AD, through advanced diagnostic solutions. The addition
of p-tau217 to Quest's existing portfolio of neurology testing
supports a comprehensive offering, including not only the
groundbreaking use of blood tests to evaluate risk of AD, but also
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests to help providers assess amyloid
beta 42, tau and ApoE genetic risk status.
"By expanding our test availability to include p-tau217 and
other blood-based biomarkers, Quest has invested significantly in
providing insights to aid risk assessment and early diagnosis of
Alzheimer's Disease," said Kathleen
Valentine, Vice President and General Manager, Neurology,
Quest Diagnostics. "We know diagnosing AD is challenging, and
believe our AD Detect™ services can help individuals better
understand their possible risk."
While amyloid PET imaging is an established method for aiding
the diagnosis of AD, it is significantly more expensive, invasive
and specialist-dependent than blood tests. Through its proprietary
AD-Detect™ line of blood tests, Quest enables access for patients
and providers to quality laboratory innovations for Alzheimer's
Disease on a broad national scale.
"Testing to assess Alzheimer's disease has changed rapidly in
the last few years, and we expect this area to continue evolving,"
said Michael Racke, MD, Medical
Director of Neurology at Quest Diagnostics. "The future of
assessing risk or diagnosing AD will likely include a variety of
testing modalities and biomarkers, including blood, to help
clinicians identify patients in the early stages of disease
progression. When examined with cognitive test results, p-tau217
has the potential to aid diagnosis, and will play a valuable role
in assessing patients with cognitive impairment, especially when
combined with other tests."
Nearly 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's, the most prevalent
dementia, a number projected to reach 14 million by 2060. New blood
tests offer the potential for primary care physicians as well as
specialists to identify people at risk for Alzheimer's Disease even
before symptoms manifest. Seventy-seven percent of physicians say
new therapies will transform Alzheimer's into a chronic, manageable
disease, according to a special report from Quest based on a survey
by Harris Poll.
A leader in neurology, Quest Diagnostics is committed to
developing innovative laboratory services to aid in evaluating
patient risk of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. Through
its courier network and 2,000 patient service centers in the U.S,
Quest is uniquely positioned to collect blood specimens, with a
physician's order, and provide advanced laboratory testing on a
national scale.
Recently published research in the Journal of Investigative
Medicine, Frontiers in Neurology and Alzheimer's
& Dementia demonstrates the value of the company's
AD-Detect™ amyloid beta test in aiding risk assessment of AD. The
company also continues to explore the potential of other biomarkers
for assessing AD risk that may complement its existing portfolio.
For more information, visit www.QuestForTheCure.com.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics works across
the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a
time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our
laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations
to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the
world's largest databases of de-identifiable clinical lab results,
Quest's diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and
treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare
management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult
Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000
employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right
context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform
lives and create a healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
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SOURCE Quest Diagnostics