Revvity’s EUROIMMUN introduces APOE genotyping assay for Alzheimer’s treatment risk assessment
New diagnostic tool aids in personalised anti-amyloid therapy decisions
Revvity, Inc. has announced the launch of the EURORealTime APOE assay, an in-vitro diagnostic test designed for specific typing of the Alzheimer’s disease-associated APOE gene. The assay, which has received CE marking for use in European countries, enables accurate genotyping to assess patients’ risk for side effects prior to initiating anti-amyloid beta therapy in Alzheimer’s disease.
Significance of APOE genotyping in Alzheimer’s treatment
Dr Lars Komorowski, chief scientific officer of EUROIMMUN, explained the importance of this development: “With the introduction of new disease-modifying drugs for treating Alzheimer’s, a new era of therapy has begun for this incurable disease. However, it has been found that patients taking these treatments with a certain form of the APOE gene have a significant risk for developing potentially life-threatening side effects, called ARIA, referring to oedema or microbleedings in the brain.”
Technical aspects of the assay
The EURORealTime APOE PCR test allows simultaneous detection of the three most frequent APOE forms: E2, E3, and E4. Carriers of exclusively E4 exhibit the highest risk for ARIA under therapy. The assay requires only one reaction using genomic DNA isolated from a single blood sample to determine the patient’s APOE genotype.
The assay processing can be automated to varying degrees on Revvity instruments, including the EUROIMMUN PreNAT II and the chemagic 360 platforms. Results are evaluated, documented, and archived using the EURORealTime analysis software.
Clinical implications
For clinicians treating Alzheimer’s patients, this approach to APOE genotyping will provide additional patient information, enabling a more personalised approach in anti-amyloid beta treatment. The ability to easily determine the APOE genotype of patients before starting therapy is crucial for assessing individua risk for potential adverse events.
For more information, visit: www.revvity.com
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