TAMPA, Fla. — It is a big step forward in Alzheimer’s research as the FDA approves the first blood test to help aid the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.
The Lumipulse test (Lumipulse G pTau217/ß-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio) has specifically been approved to help diagnose the disease in the clinical setting. Dr. Amanada Smith said that makes it the first and only test with that advantage.
Watch report from Lauren St. Germain
ABC Action News spoke with Dr. Amanda Smith, the director of Clinical Research at the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, to learn more about the test. She said it’s crucial to know the difference between this blood test and some of the others that have been available.
Dr. Smith also explained how the test works.
“It looks at two proteins that are circulating in the blood that sort of correlate to Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain — one of those proteins is amyloid, and the other is tau, and there are specific versions of those. This test actually looks at a ratio of those two proteins in the blood, and based on the calculation, it can diagnose Alzheimer’s if it’s at a certain point,” explained Dr. Smith.
Dr. Smith said it could be weeks or months before they can actually use it in a clinical setting.
According to the FDA, the test is currently available for people with symptoms of the disease who are 55 years of age or older.
Dr. Smith explained to ABC Action News that she is really hopeful. She said in the last 3 to 5 years, there have been huge leaps forward in Alzheimer's research in terms of accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment.
"When I started in 1997, you know, there was sort of nothing. There was nothing for a really long time. And then in the last 3 to 5 years there have been just tremendous leaps forward in the science in terms of accurate diagnosis as well as targeted treatment for Alzheimer’s and I am really hopeful that in the next five years we will double or triple or quadruple those scientific advances to a point where we can really actually prevent this disease," said Dr. Smith.
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