NUNZIUM

A noteworthy shift is on the horizon for dementia diagnosis in the UK, thanks to a £5m project funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery and supported by Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Alzheimer’s Society. This ambitious initiative aims to develop reliable blood tests for dementia within five years, a development that could revolutionize diagnosis by making it quicker and less invasive.

Dementia, characterized by a decline in cognitive ability, affects approximately 900,000 people in the UK, with Alzheimer's disease accounting for about 60% of these cases. Projections indicate that by 2040, the number of dementia sufferers could rise to 1.4 million. The urgency for an efficient diagnostic method has been heightened by recent discoveries of medicines such as donanemab and lecanemab, which can slow cognitive decline.

Currently, dementia diagnosis relies on lengthy and often invasive processes such as mental ability tests, brain scans, or lumbar punctures, leading to wait times of up to four years for results. This delay leaves over a third of dementia patients in England without a formal diagnosis. The new project aims to address this by using a single drop of blood to confirm the presence of the disease, a development that could accelerate diagnosis and increase its reach.

Blood tests for dementia are already available in private clinics in the US and Hong Kong, costing approximately £693. The challenge lies in creating a reliable and cost-effective test suitable for use on the NHS. Several tests are currently being researched, including those identifying specific proteins such as tau and amyloid that build up in the brain a decade or more before dementia symptoms manifest.

This initiative, in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, has garnered interest from pharmaceutical giants Roche and Eli Lilly. Both firms have joined the race to develop a blood test for dementia, indicating growing momentum behind this project.

As part of this five-year project, the NHS Blood Biomarker Challenge aims to recruit at least 1,000 NHS patients. The goal is early detection of the condition, enabling patients to receive more support and new treatments that slow the disease’s progression. This could be a significant breakthrough, as most amyloid-lowering drug trials to date involve people with advanced disease, while these drugs might be more effective in the early stages.

However, the journey towards this innovation is not without challenges. UK regulators would need to approve any blood test, and the research must demonstrate its cost-effectiveness for NHS use. Yet, the potential benefits are substantial. Fiona Carragher, the director of research and influencing at the Alzheimer’s Society, noted that nearly four in 10 people in the UK with dementia have not received a diagnosis. A reliable and accessible blood test could help bridge this gap.

In conclusion, while Alzheimer's is not a normal part of ageing, the risk of developing the disease increases with age. The prospect of a reliable blood test for Alzheimer's within five years on the NHS represents a significant stride in combating this debilitating disease. This £5 million study, funded by the UK's leading dementia charities, could facilitate early diagnosis and pave the way for treatments that rely on early detection. The future of dementia diagnosis is on the horizon, and it holds promise for a brighter outlook.