There are currently around 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and this number is expected to rise to over 1 million by 2025. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the UK, accounting for around two-thirds of all cases. Cytox Ltd has launched a genetic test capable of predicting lifetime risk of AD. Powered by genoSCORE technology, genoSCORE-ACT gives people the power to determine their own genetic risk for the disease. Following interest in genoSCORE technology in the US, this launch enables people in the UK to benefit from home-grown medical technology and proactively manage their own brain health. genoSCORE technology was developed by Cytox, based on ground-breaking research carried out at the Universities of Oxford, Cardiff and Birmingham.
This product launch comes at a significant time. A string of positive announcements in the past six months has given momentum to the fight against AD. After decades of little progress, the accelerated approval from the FDA for Lecanemab (brand name, Leqembi), has been heralded as a milestone achievement for the treatment of the disease. Significantly, the new drug has been found to be most effective for patients with early stage disease, making knowing your genetic risk more important than ever.
In May, another drug was found to significantly slow the progression of the disease. Donanemab is the second drug in 12 months to succeed in trials, leading Dr Richard Oakley, the associate director of research at the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK to believe we could be seeing the beginning of the end of the disease. As we stand on the cusp of real treatment options for AD, knowing our genetic risk of developing the disease has taken on a new level of importance.
The genoSCORE™ Polygenic Risk Scoring technology is used to assess the genetic risk of future cognitive decline due to AD. The test, which uses a simple saliva sample, analyses over 100,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) – small genetic variations – that are associated with AD. An individual polygenic risk score (PRS) quantifies a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s, even before symptoms arise. In addition, the test can be used by developers of new AD drugs to identify individuals most likely to respond to therapies under investigation.
Cytox CEO, Richard Pither says: “In today’s world, where access to health information is more readily available than ever before, people are increasingly taking charge of their own health and wellbeing. At Cytox, we believe that knowledge is power, and that everyone should have the ability to make informed decisions about their own health. With the launch of genoSCORE-ACT, we are putting the power in the hands of individuals to determine their own genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease and take proactive steps to prevent it.”
Knowledge is powerful, and genoSCORE-ACT is an opportunity for those concerned about their own cognitive health, or that of a loved one to take control and make a plan of action. Cytox has partnered with Mynvurna to provide a free counseling session to purchasers of the test. The online counseling service will be able to provide more information about the genetic risk score, and wellbeing strategies. Simple lifestyle changes can make a significant impact on the level of cognitive decline. The Lancet Commission report found 12 modifiable risk factors that, if eliminated, could reduce dementia cases by 40%. WeAregenoSCORE believes the first step of preventing AD is understanding an individual’s level of genetic risk, and genoSCORE-ACT enables people to take that first step to take control of their cognitive health.
