Veravas Completes Study of Innovative VeraBIND Tau Assay for Measuring Alzheimer's in Blood

AUSTIN, Texas--Veravas, a prominent name in clinical diagnostics, recently unveiled the results of an analytical verification study for its VeraBIND™ Tau assay. This advanced test, developed in collaboration with Phanes Biotech—a biotech firm concentrating on neurodegenerative disease treatments—focuses on detecting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by measuring disease pathology. Unlike earlier tests that identify potential disease biomarkers, VeraBIND Tau aims to detect active disease by analyzing the interaction between hyperphosphorylated tau (HPT) and normal tau (nTau), a characteristic feature of AD.

This innovative test provides a reliable and cost-effective alternative to tau PET imaging, offering clinicians a practical tool for diagnosing AD. Given that AD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, affecting approximately 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older, the availability of such diagnostic tools is crucial. Accurate diagnosis allows for targeted treatments and can distinguish AD from other dementias causing cognitive impairment, paving the way for lifestyle modifications and emerging tau-directed therapies that show potential in slowing cognitive decline.

The study demonstrated VeraBIND Tau’s precision in measuring the pathological activity of hyperphosphorylated tau. Conducted on 100 retrospectively collected patient samples, the protocol included 52 confirmed cases of AD tau pathology via F18 MK6240 tau PET imaging—comprising individuals with normal cognitive function, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia—38 healthy controls, and 10 patients positive for beta amyloid plaques but negative by tau PET. The data revealed a sensitivity of 94.2% and specificity of 89.6%, resulting in a 92.0% overall agreement with tau PET imaging.

Dr. Bernard Hanseeuw, Associate Head of the Memory Clinic at Saint Luc University Hospital and Instructor at Mass General Hospital, highlighted the significance of these findings. He explained that VeraBIND Tau could not only expedite AD diagnosis but also inform the development and testing of tau-directed therapeutics. The assay’s positive results in cases with low-amyloid and positive tau-PET data indicate its potential for non-AD tauopathies as well.

Veravas employed its proprietary VeraBIND technology to co-develop the VeraBIND Tau assay. This platform captures and purifies key proteins in blood, enabling highly accurate protein detection and characterization. When paired with antibodies, VeraBIND magnetic nanobeads act as a filter for multiple sample types, eliminating interfering substances that could obscure biomarkers and produce false results. This patented technology enhances the detection of low-abundance disease-causing proteins by enriching samples pre-analytically.

Josh Soldo, Chief Scientific Officer at Veravas, emphasized the transformative potential of VeraBIND Tau. He noted that the test’s highly accurate protocol could be performed quickly and affordably, potentially eliminating uncertainties associated with biomarker detection tests and the high costs and long wait times linked to tau PET imaging. This advancement enables clinicians to provide rapid answers to their patients, significantly improving the standard of care for AD management.

Khalid Iqbal, Chief Scientific Officer of Phanes Biotech, added that the VeraBIND Tau assay would facilitate AD diagnosis, especially in regions lacking access to tau PET imaging.

Veravas is dedicated to early-stage detection and prognostic screening for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions, leveraging its VeraBIND technology to transform challenging sample types into measurable biomarkers. Phanes Biotech focuses on developing innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, traumatic brain injury, stroke, Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s, and cognitive aging. Their portfolio includes neuroregenerative small molecules and tau-targeting antibodies, aiming to set new standards in diagnosing and tracking the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.