April 26, 2018 — The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium has launched a project, under its Neuroscience Steering Committee, with the potential to improve diagnosis and the development of targeted therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Research continues to strengthen the connection between inflammatory processes in the brain with the development and progression of multiple central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including AD and MDD. To track these processes, biological markers (biomarkers) of inflammation can be measured in patient blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) – a clear liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. However, one of the challenges in the field is measuring inflammatory biomarkers accurately and reproducibly for comparison between and across studies.

This project will standardize the sample collection and testing processes used to measure specific inflammatory biomarkers. In addition, the team will identify and develop unique combinations of these biomarkers, called biosignatures, that are only observed in patients with AD or MDD. These biosignatures will be critical to better diagnose and match patients with the best treatment options for their disease and can pave the way for the development of novel therapeutics for AD, MDD and other neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

The initiative titled, “Inflammatory Markers for Early Detection and Subtyping of Neurodegenerative and Mood Disorders,” managed by the FNIH, is led by a team of experts from the National Institutes of Health and the private sector. For more information about the project, click here.

Partners

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
AstraZeneca
Biogen MA Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim
Eisai
Genentech
Janssen Research & Development, LLC
Meso Scale Discovery
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute on Aging
Pfizer
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Quanterix

Read what the project partners are saying