British patients to trial new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease

People with suspected dementia are being invited to take part in the trial of a new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease.

Patients are being recruited through memory clinics across the UK, to check how well the test works.

Experts hope to have answers within the next three years.

A team led by University College London (UCL) is investigating whether the test can improve the early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

The trial is 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.

The test measures the protein p-tau217. and 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, as well as those living with other health conditions. It’s to ensure the findings are relevant to the wider population.

Analysis suggests the test can tell around 80% of people with cognitive decline whether they are likely to have Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and is linked to the build-up of two key proteins in the brain called amyloid and tau.

P-tau217 is regarded as a promising biomarker that 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.

Professor Schott, from UCL and chief medical officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “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.”

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.

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust began recruitment a few weeks ago, and 19 more UK centres are expected to take part.

Half of those involved 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, how it 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.