Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; Chairman and CEO: Hisashi Ietsugu; 'Sysmex') and Eisai Co., Ltd. (HQ: Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Haruo Naito; 'Eisai') are pursuing a joint project to develop a method of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) using blood, presented two posters showing the most recent data from the project.

The presentations took place at the 12th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference, from December 4 to 7, 2019, in San Diego, California. At CTAD, Sysmex demonstrated on behalf of the two companies the possibility of understanding amyloid pathology in the brain from the brain-derived amyloid beta (A) in plasma measured using its protein measurement platform, the HISCL series of fully automated immunoassay analyzers.

The total number of those living with dementia across the world is projected to reach 82 million in 2030 and 152 million in 2050, with the total global societal cost of dementia stemming from direct medical and social care costs and lower productivity being estimated to reach 220 trillion yen in 2030.1 In Japan, the number of those with dementia is thought to have reached approximately 4.62 million in 2012 and is projected to grow to 7.30 million in 20252, with the total societal cost of this disease being estimated to be equivalent to 4.1%3 of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 (25.8 trillion yen4). Of these sufferers, those living with AD is thought to account for more than 60% of those living with dementia.2

It is conceivable that AD is a disease that results in synaptic dysfunction and neuronal cell death due to the tau deposition in neurons triggered by A aggregation on the outside of neurons. These brain changes cause the cognitive impairment and psychological and behavioral symptoms, suggesting that the A aggregation and accumulation inside the brain is caused by AD before the presence of cognitive impairment appears, thus, it is believed that early diagnosis and early intervention is more effective in therapies targeting A. Currently, amyloid PET and the plasma A1-42/ A1-40 ratio in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are used for detecting amyloid aggregates in the brain, but this puts significant burden on patients in terms of access, costs, and their physical wellbeing.5

In February 2016, Sysmex and Eisai signed a comprehensive non-exclusive agreement aimed at the development of new diagnostic tests in the field of dementia. By leveraging each other's technologies and knowledge, the objective has been to discover next-generation diagnostic reagents that will enable early diagnosis of dementia, selection of the most appropriate treatment options, and regular monitoring of the effects of such treatments.

At the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) held in July 2019, Sysmex and Eisai presented their joint research on the correlation (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs)6=0.502, p

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