General practitioners could soon be able to screen their patients for Alzheimer’s Disease using a handheld device developed by Monash engineers.
The engineers from Monash University's Materials Science and Engineering have developed the first-of-a-kind finger-prick blood test to detect the protein biomarkers in early AD before symptoms progress.
The size of a credit card, it uses world-first sensor technology that can detect ultra-low concentrations of disease markers in blood in minutes.
Associate Professor Sudha Mokkapati developed a proof-of-concept electronic sensor for point-of-care testing. This sensor eliminates the need for laboratory-based pathology tests, speeds up, and makes diagnosis faster and more cost-effective.
“It’s simple to use, low-cost and portable so it could be made widely accessible to GPs to screen patients right at the point-of-care. Detecting very early disease in large populations could dramatically change the trajectory of this burdening disease for many patients, and shave millions off associated healthcare costs,” said Associate Professor Mokkapati.
“We’ve completed testing that shows the technology is highly advanced by design and capable of detecting ultra low levels of several disease biomarkers in blood. The next stage is to undertake the clinical validation needed to bring this a step closer to reality, and we’re reliant on further funding to progress this.”
Key collaborator Associate Professor Matthew Pase at Monash’s School of Psychological Sciences said the device may facilitate earlier, more efficient diagnosis, enabling timely intervention and management of AD.
“Most patients with neurodegenerative disease are typically diagnosed at advanced stages. Sadly, treatments targeting late-onset disease provide limited therapeutic benefit,” said Professor Pase.
“Earlier screening could change the outlook for many patients diagnosed with cognitive impairment, increasing the chance of halting or slowing symptom development and the rapid progression of the disease.”